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Museum of Independent Telephony
Back in 1884, when the Bell Telephone patents expired, nearly 6,000 non-Bell telephone companies, known as Independents, sprang up all over the nation. The Museum of Independent Telephony tells their stories which still remain an important part of the history of telephones. Most of these companies were understaffed and under financed, but they continue to survive. There were may consolidations and mergers among the independents and several national telecommunications companies are the results. The Museum of Independent Telephony is a tribute to the small independent companies which served nearly half of the US. It was in Abilene that one of those companies began. C. L. Brown, built his first telephone exchange in 1898. (He also started a power company which also is a part of a national company, but that's another part of Dickinson Co. history). Brown purchased several other telephone exchanges which became known as the United Telephone Companies. The business expanded in the following decades and headquartered in Abilene, Kansas until 1966, when the corporate office moved to Shawnee Mission, Kansas. Now, over a century after Brown's first exchange was established, his company has grown into an international leader in the telecommunications industry, known around the world as Sprint.
For more information about the Museum of Independent Telephony visit their website: www.mitmuseum.com . To schedule a tour or presentation, contact the director at the Heritage Center or e-mail: mitmuseum@sbcglobal.net |
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412 South Campbell, Abilene, Kansas 67410 -- directly east of the Eisenhower Center 785-263-2681 e-mail heritagecenterdk@sbcglobal.net Open daily all year. Winter Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM Saturday 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM --- Sunday 1:00 AM - 5:00 PM Extended hours from Memorial Day thru Labor Day - Open until 5:OO PM Monday - Friday and until 8:00 PM Saturdays Admission fee: $4.00 for those 16 years and older. Carousel extra. Seniors (62 and over) $3.00. Carousel extra. Carousel only $2.00 each Children (age 2-15) $2.00 each and includes Carousel. Inquire for group rates of 8 adults or more and school group rates. Site Hosted by ACCESS ONE Online Service, Abilene. Site designed by Mary Lambert |
Located in
Abilene, Kansas
For an exciting adventure into the world of telephony, plan to visit the
Museum of Independent Telephony. The museum, which is part of the HERITAGE
CENTER, is located in Abilene, KS, which is where United Telephone and, in a large sense, Sprint
has its grass roots beginning.
The museum
has staff available to provide off-site presentations for service organizations,
club events and schools. Guided tours of the museum are available for school
groups and other groups by reservation.
The Heritage Center of Dickinson
County