One Line, Many Homes

Before private phone lines, many families shared theirs with the whole neighborhood. Here is how party lines worked.

Today, almost everyone has their own phone. But for much of the 1900s, many American families shared a single phone line with their neighbors.

This was called a party line.

Several homes, sometimes many more in rural areas, were connected to the same line.

It was cheaper for phone companies to install, and cheaper for families to pay for, especially in the countryside.

Keep reading: there are 4 more chapters

Next: Listening for Your Ring

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