I can easily recall when our home phone number of DAvison 2539 was changed to accommodate the required seven-letter digits in the late 1940's. That number was changed to WEbster 4-2539 [[same last four digits, which helped all in the family to remember!) about 1949 or so.

There were no area codes back then. They came in the late fifties, about ten years later.

Can't recall, for the life of me, when Ma Bell and all her cousins did away with the prefixes. I think it was a slow turnover around 1970 or so if memory serves me correctly.

But in going through ancestry.com lately, I sure have come up with some old exchange names. HOgarth! WOodward! DRexel!! And good old GReenfield!

Today's seven and ten numbers [[eleven, if you have to punch "1" first!) sure take away from your imagination going to far-away places. You young'uns have missed it.