A decidedly mixed bag today.
A few days ago blog follower Judy Gusick alerted me to a historical, innovative and ingenious use of barbed wire fences that I’d never heard of but found absolutely fascinating. Judy knows that I’m not a fan of the “devil wire” for its nasty effects on birds and wildlife but she also knows that having grown up on a Montana farm I understand its practicality for livestock control for ranchers and farmers. I was intrigued enough to spend the next few hours researching this “homesteader hack” of barbed wire and in the end decided to share on my blog.
First a little background and if you haven’t guessed already it relates to telephones.
1931 Rotary Dial Telephone – Creative Commons
Rotary dial telephones like this one were the first telephones I remember my family using, from when I was a little kid in the very early 1950’s through the mid-1960’s or so. Back then we were on a ‘party line’, meaning you shared the line with a number of other telephone users so every time the phone rang everyone on your party line could hear it and anyone on the line who picked up the phone could listen to the conversation.
In a practical sense, privacy just did not exist.
Each family had a specific ring, perhaps one long and two shorts or two shorts or two longs, so everyone on the line knew who the call was meant for but that didn’t mean there weren’t a lot of snoopy folks who listened in anyway. You could hear the phone ‘click’ when somebody else picked up so perhaps the most common refrain heard on party lines was “Get off the phone!”
1917 Magneto Crank Wall Telephone – Creative Commons
The magneto crank wall telephone preceded the rotary phone. My family never had one but my maternal grandparents did who lived just over the border in the tiny town of Glenwood in southern Alberta. I clearly remember my grandparents cranking that old relic to generate the “juice” needed for transmission and to alert the “operator” that they wanted to make a call. Like most folks back then my grandparents were also on a party line.
By the late 1800’s telephones were gaining widespread use in the cities but telephone exchanges and related infrastructure were too expensive in remote areas with very few customers to pay for them so farmers and ranchers, primarily homesteaders in many areas, were left out of the loop.
But rural folks are nothing if they aren’t innovative so they came up with their own solution and most of the ‘infrastructure’ required for it was already in place.
They used barbed wire fences for their telephone lines.
Typically, a smooth wire was strung from a telephone in a house or barn to a barbed wire fence. From there, it hooked into the top strand of barbed wire (most fences had at least three strands) and the telephone signal would follow the length of the wire to a second telephone that was connected to the barbed wire down the line. Sometimes as many as 20 or more telephones at various rural homes were connected onto a single barbed-wire system.
Bingo, instant party line.
The telephone wasn’t only a lifesaver in the case of medical emergencies, range fires and the like – it was also a source of news and entertainment. Often one appointed person would read the news to others on the line. If one person on the line had a radio, programs could be listened to by everyone else along that top strand of barbed wire. Loneliness and resulting mental health issues were a big problem on extremely isolated homesteads so the telephone was huge for those folks.
Surprisingly perhaps, one of the most significant advantages of the telephone to homesteaders was that it helped them to escape the scrutiny of the government land inspector, who made frequent trips to individual homesteaders to make sure they were obeying the letter of the homestead law. ‘Neighbors’ down the line would alert them of an impending visit from the inspector that was meant to be a surprise so they could be prepared for it.
“The system, while workable, was imperfect. Barbed wire fences didn’t run seamlessly throughout the countryside, so overhead or buried wires were used to bridge communication over roads, ditches and other gaps in fencing. And there were frequent outages brought on by cattle breaking through fences, or by rain that grounded the signal. And insulators, which ranged from porcelain knobs to broken bottles, were used to keep the barbed wire from touching the fence posts, but those weren’t always effective.”
By 1912 ranch households were the most well-networked in the nation – more rural farm homes had telephones than did urban homes. After World War II those numbers began to fall significantly but some remote areas continued to use barbed wire telephones well into the 1970’s. Judy Gusick’s husband Joe remembers them being used in the Highwood area of Montana in 1947, the year I was born.
Anyway, maybe this telephone history lesson isn’t new to some (many?) of my readers but it was new to me and I found it fascinating so I thought I’d pass it along.
In a far from smooth segue from barbed wire telephones to birds I’ll end today’s post with a Red-tailed Hawk photo I took yesterday morning. After all, this is “Feathered” Photography.
1/2500, f/8, ISO 400, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
The immature red-tail was feeding on what I presume was a duck near the shore of the Bear River. We didn’t see this bird along the road until the last second so I just had to stop, fire off a few photos, and then go on my way when another vehicle came along from the east to add to the two vehicles that were already there as their occupants watched and photographed the hawk. I was closer to the bird than I wanted to be anyway and was fearful that if I stayed any longer it would abandon its meal. It didn’t, not while I was there, but other folks in a Jeep got out of their vehicle just before I left so who knows….
For those who may be wondering – no, I didn’t alter the colors of the photo during processing. The icy river in the background was naturally this intense blue, in part because of the reflected blue sky.
Ron
Notes:
Some readers may have questions about barbed wire telephone lines so here are links to a couple of the articles I read while researching this post:
A side note to local birders: Yesterday morning I distinctly heard, but did not see, two groups of calling Sandhill Cranes. In early January in northern Utah! I couldn’t believe it, not this early in the year.
Wow, just read your story about the phones. I wonder if my Missouri relatives knew anything about that. I remember my Aunts having a party line when they would talk to us in Wyo. My folks had a business at home when I was growing up so Dad had to pay for a private line. I also like the picture you posted.
Thanks, Trudy.
So now you have me wondering. As a kid I roamed the fields and pastures I climbed many old barbed wire fences, the real old ones made or trees and very rusty, rusty to the point of brittle. I remember some stretches of fence with bare thick single wire attached to the wood post with a small ceramic insulater. I always thought it was the remains of an electric fence. Perhaps it was phone line? One memorable section ran to what was a very early ward house later converted to a living space for families who ran the church owned poultry farm.
“Perhaps it was phone line?”
Sounds like some of them might have been, April. And it makes sense that that very early ward house would have a phone line if at all possible.
You’ve evoked so many memories today, Ron! I still have my grandfather’s fancy red rotary phone. I also still remember the first phone number I ever memorized — to the party line at the outdoor ed school where we lived when my dad was a trail teacher. If I recall, we were two long and two short rings. Plus, hubby worked for the various and sundry versions of AT&T/Bell Systems for over 45 years, mainly in trouble-shooting and keeping the computer part of the switches running. And that gorgeous RTHA as the cherry on top! ❤️
Yeah, I’ll bet this does bring back a lot of memories for you, Marty – especially given what you said about your husband.
45 years at the same job – puts my 33 to shame.
Puts my 30 to shame too. He did a variety of things within the company. Started in the mailroom when he was 18, left for a couple years of college, then came back and worked his way up. I don’t think people do that anymore, especially with the way companies are structured now.
I’ve got a feeling the sense of community and neighbors helping neighbors was ironically more advanced then because of the “primitive” technology and physical distance than today’s garage door neighbors (you only see your neighbor when they are waiting for the garage door to open) and “hyper-connected” technologies.
You needn’t worry about segeuing to the Hawk; he’s a beauty though out of the blue.
And I’ve got a feeling you’re right about that, Lyle.
So funny to me that until about a half-hour ago I was unable to read this post because my internet connection was out for 90 mins this morning! (Wind in the area, but not that strong, so who knows why?) And where is the Devil wire when I need it?
Your telephone story (nicely done!) brings back such great childhood memories of summers visiting my grandparents on the Saskatchewan prairie…not only did they have the old crank phone & party line, but also “outdoor plumbing” until the glorious summer of ‘59 when a “flushie” was installed upstairs! That wonderful old phone disappeared sometime after, although the party line remained for awhile.
Love the hawk image, hate that people who drive out of their way to see the wonders of nature feel they must get even closer and interfere with it. Hope young hawk took his meal with him if forced to flee.
Ha, I can just see you hooking up your co-ax cable to a barbed wire fence, Chris!
Uh, co-ax cable? Where would I even find that? (Clearly, I would not make it as a homesteader…) 😂
Such an interesting post, Ron! as a city kid in the 50s-60s, party lines (Ma Bell) were the standard service. Only the rich people could afford “private” lines. Don’t remember how many families were on the line, but there were definitely “rules” about using the phone. Still remember our phone number!
I do hope the hawk got to finish its meal! I’m mourning a quail who was breakfast for someone this morning – we’ve got 20 inches of snow from the other day (central Washington), so the yard is full of hungry birds and the hawks know it!
And your cranes – apparently Bosque del Apache in New Mexico is seeing many fewer cranes this winter – the corn crop did very poorly last summer due to the drought, and they are having to manage water so tightly. The cranes must all be using that barbed-wire party line system – “Don’t bother coming down, Bub, the conditions aren’t so good. Stay up there in Utah!”
Thanks for a wonderful focus for the day!
Carolyn, thanks for the possible explanation of why I’m seeing (and hearing reports of) cranes in northern Utah this time of year. Makes sense.
What an interesting post. I was born in 1940 in a small town in Idaho. Party lines were common there as well. We didn’t have a phone due to finances. We had to borrow the neighbor’s phone and of course it wasn’t for children to use. My parents didn’t get a phone until late in the 50s. I have never heard the story about the barbed wire and am sure it was common in Idaho as well.
Great bird picture and the color is amazing. Thanks..
Betty, from my research barbed wire telephone lines seemed to be widespread in the western US and even further east where homesteaders predominated and barbed wire was common.
A fascinating post about the barb-wire telephone network. I grew up in Australia in the 50s and remember party lines and the attendant intrigues. My grandparents lived on a remote farm and had a crank wall phone and used it well into the 60s. However, I was not aware of the barb-wire network and will have do some digging to learn about it in Australia.
Great image of the Red-tail Hawk.
Thanks, Gary. I always find the comparison of things like this in Australia compared to the US interesting.
Very interesting info re: Devil wire, as I AWAYS call it…(because to me that’ EXACTY what it is..)and the wonderfu image of the “eagle’s little brother”
Patty, I think I originally got “devil wire” from you.
Yes, you did,,,it’s what I always call it ..fr good reason!
Nice, nice photo. The telephone info is fascinating. I had no idea.
Thanks, Nancy.
So interesting and unknown use of barbed wire!! Our first phone was mounted on the wall in the kitchen with an 8 foot spiral cord dangling from the receiver to the base. Crazy!
Fingers crossed the idiots who left their Jeep didn’t spook the hawk.
Kathleen, I hope those folks in the Jeep know better next time.
Thanks. That was a fascinating bit of history I knew nothing about. I grew up in an urban setting so I didn’t have an opportunity to learn about this then. We did have a party line and a much shorter phone number – Just 2 letters, DI (really 34) followed by 4 numbers. While ours was a dial phone I do remember the big wooden box with the crank on its side at a grandmothers house. Most kids today don’t know the origin of “dial” a number. A photo in a book of an old phone, similar to your first photo, left our 10 year old granddaughter wondering what it was. When we told her about it, she found it hard to believe that you couldn’t carry it around. (Typewriters are also mysterious,)
Sounds like we had grandparents of about the same vintage, Dan. I was always fascinated by that weird contraption hanging on the wall in the kitchen of my grandparent’s house. And the cranking part always looked fun but I don’t remember ever doing it myself.
You didn’t again…I learned something new😁 Love how many stories came out of your post today.
Hoping that red tail got to finish its meal.
Thanks, Diana. So do I.
I remember party lines but not the barbed wire telephone. fascinating . Looking forward to sharing that interesting bit of history with my cell phone addicted grandkids😀
Catherine, I hope your grandkids enjoy the old-timer history.
Fascinating. And a productive use of devil wire too.
We never had a party line but I can well remember the phone being used only rarely – and never for ‘frivolous’ purposes. And ‘long distance’ calls were even rarer.
Love the red tail too – who doesn’t look happy at having its meal interrupted. I hope the owners of the jeep didn’t disturb it further. (And that phrase always makes me think of the John Callahan cartoon where the sign on the outside of an insane asylum reads Do Not Disturb any Further.)
You’re absolutely right, EC. If you were on a party line you didn’t use the phone frivolously very often. If you did you definitely heard about it.
You’re also right about long distance calls. They were expensive so they rarely happened.
I LOVED this post ! I loved the ingenuity of it– farm/ranch folks were
amazingly creative in that time-period…..Justice Sandra Day O’Conner
told in her memoir about her father rigging up a solar heated shower–
they had no natural gas, and no electricity to their remote ranch back in
1920’s/1930’s, but they could take a warm shower, thanks to the same kind
of brain-power you relate here……
Thanks, Kris. And I agree about the ingenuity of rural folks.
I used to use a solar shower when I was camping, before I bought my first camping trailer.
Slept in this morning for whatever reason!
Well done, Ron! 🙂 I wouldn’t have thought of the logistics of insulators/breaks in the fence nor using it to evade the land inspectors.. Glad you “ran with it”. Just never know where one tidbit will lead. 🙂 I’ll got back to the links after breakfast. 🙂
Joe’s family didn’t have a phone until the mid-70’s due to not being able to afford having a line run. Used a CB radio which required stringing wire across the creek and up the hill about a quarter mile to get reception.
Party lines were a fact of my life also since I’m also a 1947 model – yes, Joe is a cradle snatcher. 😉
Beautiful capture of the Red-tail with “breakfast”. WAY too early for Sandhill Cranes!
P.S. don’t have cell service in this “hole” either…..always behind the times it seems…. 😉 “Land line” critical here! 🙂
Judy, I “ran with it” thanks to your inspiration. Much appreciated.
Your mention of Joe not being able to afford to have a telephone line run reminded me that there was no natural gas available on the farm until, I think, the early 70’s. It was just too expensive to run the line (pipe) and we had to pay for it so all we had was truck-delivered propane – big 500 gallon tanks for our farm and my uncle Floyd’s.
Eventually, after we sold our farm to Floyd, he and another farmer nearby paid for and constructed a natural gas line to the farms. It wasn’t cheap and it was a helluva lot of work!
Propane still the thing in this area and/or electric – don’t know that natural gas will ever be an option. Just called in for a fill Fri. Not “low” yet BUT given the vagaries of the weather better safe than sorry since we can’t guarantee access 😉 Ran out one year at -40 after the company supplying it that was supposed to be checking it wasn’t – never again trusting someone else to track it!
Phone lines/electric lines were bad enough cost wise – can imagine gas pipeline!
Damn, 40 below and no source of heat. That’s a recipe for frozen keisters. And frozen pipes.
We had a party line in the 60s in our cabin in the Sierras. I vividly remember the time we saw the smoke rising from one of the mountain peaks. We had to interrupt a neighbor who was tying up the line in order to contact the forest rangers.
I’m betting your neighbor got off the phone pronto, Marcia. At least I hope so.
I was born in 1938 Ron so I for sure remember the party line phones. My parents called me Sandy when I was a young child and the neighbors all knew me by that name. Often when I would try to use the phone a neighbor who was on the line would call me by name and scold me for using the phone during a time when only adults should be using it.
Never knew about the barbed wire being used for communication so that was very interesting to me.
Excellent shot of the hungry Red-tail. He looks to be very irritated by all those folks disturbing his chow time.
I have always appreciated the education you pass along with your outstanding photos. Once a teacher always a teacher.
Thanks, Everett. I don’t remember a time frame restricted for adults on any of our party lines. I imagine each party line, or perhaps each locality, could set up their own rules.
I’d never heard a thing about this rural/ranching creativity; it’s not only amusing, it’s interesting as can be. Thanks for including the links to the other articles.
Some telephone trivia: the first phone I remember also was black, but it had no dial. You had to pick up the handset, and the nice operator would say, “Number, please.” Our home number was 1906; I had to memorize it before I was allowed to leave our yard. As for party lines, I moved to a small Texas town where party lines still existed in 1985. A church, the post office, and the town’s only gas station all were on the same line. I still laugh when I think about it.
One last note, regarding the land inspector. There used to be a prohibition era gambling venue in Galveston called the Balinese Room. It was at the end of a very long pier. I don’t know how the communication was rigged, but when the feds showed up, the news was passed to the folks at the end of the pier, who’d dump their cards and such into the Gulf through a trap door. There’s always a way!
Thanks for this very cool post!
Shoreacres, your comment jogged my memory. I remember reading somewhere about the Balinese Ballroom and how they avoided getting caught with their gambling paraphernalia. You’re right, there’s always a way – at least there is if there’s enough incentive.
so interesting!! Thanks for a fascinating history lesson this morning, teach!
Made me smile, Sue. Thanks yourself, teach!
Thank you for the lesson. Didn’t have a clue about how homestead to homestead, ranch to ranch communicated back then, but what a fantastic way to stay in touch. It makes sense that neighbors would alert each other of an impending visit from the inspector.
Beautiful immature Red-tail. I’m guessing that it is the dark phase Red-tail?
Thanks, Dick.
I’m not entirely sure about the answer to your question. I was only with the hawk for a very short time and I never got a look at the front of the bird.
Wouldn’t they have needed to use two wires for the telephone? Maybe the top two strands of barbed wire?
Apparently not, Phil. Two wires were never mentioned in the articles I read. I’ll try to add links to those articles to the bottom of my post in a few minutes.
Interesting that you defended the sky color blue, as I suspect 99 percent of folks pump up their sky color in photoshop (me included). And interesting about barb-wire fences and telephones! all those barbs and still a good connection? Growing up on a farm, we too had a party line but when I was a teenager restricted to “egg-timer” phone calls (3 minutes for the sand to empty), I was not a fan of phone calls.
Terri, I distinctly remember when I was a freshman in high school and talking to my first real girlfriend on the phone I had to take the phone into the closet and shut the door so my folks couldn’t hear me talking to her. We were on a party line so they didn’t want me to tie up the phone.
I never “pump up” my sky colors and only rarely make any other color adjustments in my photos (the only time I do, occasionally, is when the photo was taken on an overcast morning.)
I too remember party lines (though not barbed wire as we only moved to the country when my Dad retired from the service) and neighbours listening in. Great story today and nice hawk shot.
Granny Pat, the use of barbed wire for telephone ‘lines’ was apparently so widespread I’m very surprised I hadn’t heard of it before Judy told me about it.