' The Good Old Days ! '
Discovered in the Coarsegold Museum this Western Electric Hand
Cranked Wall Phone looks like it was pretty popular!
The ranger stations and fire lookouts had telephones. The ranchers had what they called the "Farmers' Line". They bought their phones from the Raymond Telephone Company, then installed their own lines, maintaining it from their houses, half way to their neighbors on each side. There was no phone bill!
It was know as the old "Hoot n Holler" line!
Each party had a special ring (i.e.: two long ,two short) heard by all.
Everyone along the way could hear the ring, so they
often eaves-dropped on the conversations!
Some areas of Coarsegold did not receive telephone lines until the early 1980's!
Thanks to the Coarsegold Historic Society for the above information!