On This Day in Telephone History December 1ST 1878 First Telephones in Washington, D. C. to be Connected to a Central Office. The first five telephones connected through a central office switchboard in Washington, D.C. were; the White House (1), the Capitol (2), the Associated Press (3), the Treasury Department (4), and Gallaudet College (5). The central office, a 24-wire peg switch, was established by George C. Maynard. Mr. Maynard, an electrical engineer who had been in the Signal Corps of the Army during the Civil War, obtained the rights to introduce the telephone in Washington, D.C. from Gardiner G. Hubbard.

On This Day in Telephone History December 1ST 1878

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On This Day in Telephone History December 1ST 1878 First Telephones in Washington, D. C. to be Connected to a Central Office. The first five telephones connected through a central office switchboard in Washington, D.C. were; the White House (1), the Capitol (2), the Associated Press (3), the Treasury Department (4), and Gallaudet College (5). The central office, a 24-wire peg switch, was established by George C. Maynard. Mr. Maynard, an electrical engineer who had been in the Signal Corps of the Army during the Civil War, obtained the rights to introduce the telephone in Washington, D.C. from Gardiner G. Hubbard.