2 longs and a short -- Hello

Until 1968 our phone number was 6 r 1 -2  (one long and two short)

I remember our phone number, think ours was two longs.  Always picked up the hand set and ask, "Line busy?"

Yep, but if my memory serves me right, ours was a four ring system. Mom would get really angry because our shut in neighbor used to listen in on everyone calls. there were four homes on each party line.
and like Don said, you could not just pickup and start dialing, had to check to see if the line was clear. Long distance calls had to be made through the operator

and............. there was only ONE PHONE in the entire house !

Edited by steve(ill) - 18 Jul 2019 at 8:09pm

We did not even have a phone. Had to go to my uncle ‘s house if we needed to call somebody and his phone was on a party line. About 1990 I made Mom and Dad let me put a phone in their home so I could call and check on them.

Them ol wonderful days!

when I grew up, we just had two soup cans with a piece of fishing line between them. darrel

My grandparents had one until they moved off the farm in 1969

We didn't have a phone like those.  Our first phone was a black rotary on the dining room wall.  I remember when we got it so I'm thinking 1960.  I recall once when my brother(Army) called from Vietnam.  When you finished what you was saying you had to say "over".  I had to keep telling my mom to say over.  We had a two party line so not so busy but them old ladies could talk for days.  Our first phone number was plainfield 9-2545.  Man that was slick when we got a phone and got modernized.  Then the fight was on for color tv!

Back when we had a party line and I was a volunteer fireman our line would have one solid long ring when someone called the fire line to report a fire, Then everyone on our line would listen to hear where the fire was.

I remember when the folks had the telephone INSTALLED--It sat on their bedroom dresser--that was the corner of the house closest to the power-telephone line pole, hence the shortest amount of wire needed to hook up.  The big, black Bakelite phone--no dial.  You picked up the receiver and recited the number you wanted to the operator.  Our number was Arlington 5-2740.  And yes it was a party line.  R. Musgrave

I think that our ring was 2 longs and there were no more than three other people on our party line. You could ring others on your party line but you would have to go through the operator to talk to others on another party line. The operator could also do a "general ring" that would alert everyone if there was an emergency or there was a need for a community announcement. My parents were operating our small grocery store to help supplement their farm income at the time the new dial phones were installed. The store had a unique black candlestick phone with a separate ringer box. The installation crew said they had to take all the old phones but they didn't seem to take anyone's old big old wall hung phones. I think they knew it was rare and they could get big bucks for it. I was annoyed that my parents let them take it. I took our old phone apart to mess around with the parts. Those old hand crank magnetos could sure give out a powerful kick.

Yes I remember the time not the number of rings.  Early 70's? when the switch happened. Didn't get some of them cables very deep in places.Got into them alot when working for the TWP.

You might be country if....

 Had the crank on the wall till 1960. Local phone company went away and Ma Bell put in all new poles and wire. But still 8 on a party line,until about 80 when only 4 on a line. And if it was ringing it was for you,no more longs and shorts. Very shortly it was upgraded to private lines.