Location
This presentation by Kendra Grocholl of MTC and Diane Galusha of the Historical Society of the Town of Middletown covers a century of local communication developments brought to Margaretville and the surrounding region of the Central Catskills by a family-owned company, which began in 1916 when John Birdsall purchased 16 local telephone lines from New York Telephone. The illustrated talk will cover the network of "farmer lines" and neighborhood systems, the addition of switchboards and long distance service and the creation of today's modern multi-service utility. Photographs, artifacts and equipment from the early days of telephone service will be on exhibit.
THIS IS A FREE HEADWATERS HISTORY DAYS PROGRAM. Headwaters History Days is the Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway Signature Event for the Town of Middletown. www.headwatershistorydays.org; www.sceniccatskills.com
Historical Society of Middletown, 778 Cemetery Rd., Margaretville, 12455
