In her book “They Carried the Torch: The story of Early Oklahoma Newspapers,” Elva Ferguson mentions telephone service being installed, including in the Watonga Republican office. She notes one could call all the way to Kansas City. The Ferguson Home Museum has a couple of wood wall (coffin) phones.
An article on the telephone Industry Oklahoma History notes the telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bella in 1876, “By 1884 the U.S. Army had strung a telephone line between Fort Reno and Darlington, Indian Territory.” “In 1893 Guthrie and Oklahoma City constructed small exchanges.”
“In 1897 the Arkansas Valley Telephone Company began connecting Oklahoma towns and cities. …. In 1904, the name changed to the Pioneer Telephone and Telegraph Company. In 1905 Pioneer purchased the Missouri and Kansas Telephone Company and became part of the national Bell System.” (Perhaps this is what allowed service to KC.)
“In 1907, as statehood arrived, Oklahoma sustained 715 telephone systems (commercial, mutual, and independent farmer and rural lines) with 104,780 miles of wire and 68,125 telephones. There were 135 commercial systems and 63 incorporated companies.”
“In 1912 the Pioneer company had 115 exchanges in Oklahoma, with 114,975 miles of aerial wire and 19,480 miles of underground wire. In 1917, the three corporate entities and the Southwestern Telephone Company of Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas, which had been added to the group by 1912, consolidated under one name, Southwestern Bell.”
In 1953 the Pioneer Telephone Cooperative formed, with headquarters established at Kingfisher, and served a number of western Oklahoma towns. By 1964 its assessed value stood at $2,165,092, fifth highest in the state.
Wouldn’t the Fergusons be surprised today with cellular service in nearly everyone’s pocket and fiber optic internet service allowing hundreds or thousands to do video conferencing simultaneously around the world!
And we again thank Pioneer for their generous donation to the Friends of the Ferguson Home.