# Old Timey Telephone Numbers **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 15, 2018, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-timey-telephone-numbers/817956 "2018-07-15T18:22:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2018, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-timey-telephone-numbers/817956/121 "2018-07-22T19:47:08Z")
Skimming through all the messages since I last looked, I didn’t see this mentioned yet: The exchange was not just a block of numbers, it was an actual building called an exchange. Most were nondescript brick buildings with very few if any windows. The building listed at that address in the phone book would be Samson Exchange, or whatever. Many of them are still in use in Cleveland. Some are more elaborate and are historic landmarks. Here is a nice one for the defunct Cuyahoga Telephone Company’s Princeton Exchange: > **[Cleveland City Planning Commission](https://planning.clevelandohio.gov/landmark/listDetail.php?identity=70)** > > One Table Click on the right photo to enlarge it and see the exchange name. Also the wonderful architectural details. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-timey-telephone-numbers/817956/122 "2018-07-23T01:56:05Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > According to [this site](https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6i7suv/eli5why_are_us_area_codes_212_new_york_ny_213_los/) (not sure how valid that is), > > > [@](#): > > > > states with just one area code got one with a zero as the middle digit > > > > states with multiple area codes got ones with a one as the middle digit Not IME: Washington had two area codes as far back as I can remember – 206 & 509 – but, yeah, I suppose they might have had just one from the getgo. > [@](#): > > And some care was taken to avoid prefixes (NXX) identical to area codes (NPA) in the same area. My understanding was that area codes never conflicted with exchanges, because area codes were a0b or c1d but prefixes would not have the 1 or 0 in the middle: this allowed for long distance within any area code just by adding the 1 to the beginning and the next three numbers would be either a prefix (with no 1 or 0 as the 2nd digit) or an area code. How they managed to add all these crazy area codes kind of baffles me, but few people ever actually dial out a number anymore, so just hashing it up so that everyone uses 10 all the time seems practical now. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-timey-telephone-numbers/817956/123 "2018-07-23T02:30:57Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > My understanding was that area codes never conflicted with exchanges, because area codes were a0b or c1d but prefixes would not have the 1 or 0 in the middle: this allowed for long distance within any area code just by adding the 1 to the beginning and the next three numbers would be either a prefix (with no 1 or 0 as the 2nd digit) or an area code. That was true at the start of direct long distance dialing, in fact the presence of a 1 or 0 as the second digit was the code to the non-computerized switch that the first 3 digits were an area code. Later, when all-digit dialing and computerized exchanges came, that code was no longer used. At that time, care was taken to avoid confusion with exchanges and area codes. And yes, _now_ there are some exchanges that have the same digits as an area code, but not in the same geographic area if at all possible. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-timey-telephone-numbers/817956/124 "2018-07-23T04:30:40Z")
> [@Mr\_Downtown](#): > > FUlton, most likely. Correct. Slight tangent: I once saw the phone directory for Nags Head, N.C. in the late 1920s. It consisted of a single typed sheet of paper - and it wasn’t full, either! Now Nags Head has a population of almost 3,000. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-timey-telephone-numbers/817956/125 "2018-07-23T12:13:08Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > That was true at the start of direct long distance dialing, in fact the presence of a 1 or 0 as the second digit was the code to the non-computerized switch that the first 3 digits were an area code. Later, when all-digit dialing and computerized exchanges came, that code was no longer used. At that time, care was taken to avoid confusion with exchanges and area codes. And yes, _now_ there are some exchanges that have the same digits as an area code, but not in the same geographic area if at all possible. Yeah, it was a bit disconcerting when a bunch of 847 exchange numbers started popping up here in my neighborhood, as it’s also a local area code (the north Chicago suburbs.) ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-timey-telephone-numbers/817956/126 "2018-07-23T15:42:46Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > Skimming through all the messages since I last looked, I didn’t see this mentioned yet: The exchange was not just a block of numbers, it was an actual building called an exchange. I did not say that specifically but, yes, the Local Office (to use Bell’s term) was once a building located at most a few miles from your phone that was once filled with operators and plug boards, then later with clattering step switches. Cool pics. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-timey-telephone-numbers/817956/127 "2018-07-23T15:50:58Z")
Found a video of a [Strowger switch](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcFpaI1Y_SE) in action. ---
**Author:** ![jeezums](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/58f4c7/32.png) [@jeezums](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeezums)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-timey-telephone-numbers/817956/128 "2018-07-26T20:36:38Z")
Came across this building earlier this afternoon with the 2 letter 5 digit phone number painted on the front of the building. It’s located in the Marigny section of New Orleans. From what I could google, the exchange is **WH** itehall3 which went into service in 1957. [https://imgur.com/a/PlbYmJm](https://imgur.com/a/PlbYmJm) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-timey-telephone-numbers/817956.md?page=6)