Throughout history, human beings have had an innate desire to communicate. This exhibit features a timeline from face-to-face communications of the mid-19th century to today’s instant, global communications, and invites the viewer to imagine what it must have been like to wait weeks or months for news from back home.
Using Allen True’s “Wings of Thought” mural as a motif, the exhibit highlights documents, directories, and photographs from Telecommunications History Group archives.
The exhibit focuses on four eras:
Mid-19th century to early 20th – Telecommunications progressed from weeks-long message delivery to operator-assisted calling
Early to mid-20th century – Telecommunications advanced from operator assisted calls to direct distance dialing.
Late 20th century – Telecommunications connected direct calls by individuals or organizations from any location via wireless devices and internet
21st century – Smart phones offer multiple applications; internet offers VoIP; internet providers move large-batch messages to stimulate local and global economies and social interactions. What’s next?
