Houston Phone Numbers Became Numbers

[Georgie]

I lived in the Montrose, phone number was referred to as JAckson 2 5736.  I recall dialing (rotary) JA 2 5736.  Anybody know why Jackson?

[bugtoaster]

I thought this was going to be a thread about going to Numbers, but good luck in finding out what the 'Jackson' exchange meant.

[mkultra25]

In the mid-1950s, AT&T compiled a list of recommended exchange names. The recommendations were for new exchanges, and already-established exchanges weren't required to be renamed. JAckson was on the list of recommended names, but I'm not sure if that particular exchange predated the recommendation list, or if it entered service later and followed the naming recommendation. 

[Tumbleweed_Tx]

Jackson is an easy name to remember.

Sharpstown was Prescott, the fake movie phone numbers were Diamond, now just 555

[Dave W]

Most phone exchange names, nationally and in Houston, were two syllable words. Easy to say and remember, I guess. No other particular reason that Jackson was chosen. Just looking around online, I found two local businesses with Jackson numbers in an ad from 1944.

Here's an image from a 1951 Houston Buffs scorecard with a Jackson number. BTW, if you remember glass jalousies, you're officially old. :)

 

[ladobey]

4 hours ago, Dave W said:

Most phone exchange names, nationally and in Houston, were two syllable words. Easy to say and remember, I guess. No other particular reason that Jackson was chosen. Just looking around online, I found two local businesses with Jackson numbers in an ad from 1944.

Here's an image from a 1951 Houston Buffs scorecard with a Jackson number. BTW, if you remember glass jalousies, you're officially old. :)

 

Isn't it funny what we remember? My home phone # growing up was OV-7667. I can barely remember my mobile number.

[mkultra25]

9 hours ago, Dave W said:

BTW, if you remember glass jalousies, you're officially old. :)

Not that I needed any more evidence that I'm officially old, but the first apartment I had in Montrose had glass jalousies built into the exterior doors of each unit. As I unfortunately discovered while I was living there, it's very easy for a burglar to break one or more of the slats in a jalousie in order to gain access. :(