On This Day in Telephone History December 25TH 1900 Switchboard Lamps First to Light Christmas Tree. William Rivenburg, a 17-year-old technician at a telephone exchange in Greenfield, Iowa, wired telephone switchboard lamps to his Christmas Tree. Candles were being used at the time, but they were causing fires.

On This Day in Telephone History December 25TH 1900

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On This Day in Telephone History December 25TH 1900 Switchboard Lamps First to Light Christmas Tree.

William Rivenburg, a 17-year-old technician at a telephone exchange in Greenfield, Iowa, wired telephone switchboard lamps to his Christmas Tree. Candles were being used at the time, but they were causing fires.