March 10: “Mr. Watson, Come Here”
On this day in 1876, Alexander Graham Bell made the first successful telephone call when he phoned his assistant, Mr. Watson. Two years later Thomas Edison improved the telephone by inventing a microphone capable of creating a signal strong enough to make long-distance calls practical. Enjoy this collection of resources related to Mr. Bell, Mr. Edison, and early telegraph and telephone technology.
Invention of the Telephone Banner
Use your smart phone to share this banner celebrating the very first phone call.
Alexander Graham Bell
Portrait of Alexander Graham Bell from the ClipArt ETC website.
Telephone Building
Interior view of a telephone company building from 1921. Notice the switchboard operators necessary to connect calls.
Carbon Microphone
Edison’s carbon microphone that enabled long-distance calls.
Edison Home and Lab
Photographs from the Edison home and laboratory in Ft. Myers, Florida.
Thomas Alva Edison
Portrait of Thomas Alva Edison from the ClipArt ETC website.