About The Oldest Phone Number In America
The phone number was historically referred to by its old designation PA 6-5000
A phone number (or telephone number) is a unique sequence of digits used to identify and connect to a specific telecommunication endpoint, such as a landline phone, mobile phone, or fax machine, within a telephone network.
The oldest phone number still in use is 1-212-736-5000, which served as the main number for the Hotel Pennsylvania in New York City. It was originally assigned to the hotel, possibly as early as 1919, when the hotel opened its doors. It holds the distinction of being the longest continuously operating phone number in the world.
The phone number is historically known by its iconic designation PEnnsylvania 6-5000 (PE6-5000). Assigned to the Hotel Pennsylvania, the alphanumeric format translates to today's modern number: the letters P and E correspond to 7 and 3 on the telephone keypad, making it 212-736-5000. The historic hotel, situated at the corner of Seventh Avenue and 33rd Street, permanently closed its doors on April 1, 2020.
The hotel was forced to close as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The structure was demolished in 2023 to make way for an office tower. It was torn down to make way for a tower at 15 Penn Plaza. The tower's developer, Steven Roth, said in 2022 that the new development, PENN 15, would retain America's oldest phone number (212) 736-5000.
The number has a rich history, dating back to 1919, when seven-digit dialing replaced the earlier five-digit and two-letter formats. When calling the number, a brief recording of the song plays for ten seconds before connecting you to an operator.
Pennsylvania 6-5000 was immortalized in a song by composer Glenn Miller and his Orchestra, harkening back to the days when New York phone numbers used the name of its nearest telephone exchange. The famous number is still in service.
The invention of the telephone number is credited to Dr. Moses Greeley Parker in Lowell, MA
The history of telephone numbers in America dates back to the late 19th century. The first telephone numbers were used in 1879 in Lowell, Massachusetts, when they replaced the request for subscriber names by callers connecting to the switchboard operator.
On September 1, 1879, the first telephone exchange with assigned telephone numbers was established in Lowell, MA making it the earliest instance of a numbered telephone system in the United States.
This innovation in Lowell marked the very first use of telephone numbers, initially four-digit numbers, in the United States. Dr. Parker worried about the operators falling ill and suggested assigning numbers to subscribers, making it easier for substitute operators to manage the connections.
The first three digits of a telephone number are now the area code, followed by a seven-digit local number. The NANP has been modified several times over the years to accommodate the growth of the telephone network. In 1963, the first area codes were introduced in Canada.
In 1986, the first area codes were introduced in Mexico. In 1994, the NANP was expanded to include the Caribbean. Today, the NANP is used in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. There are currently 867 area codes in the NANP, including 832 area codes in the United States.
Telephone numbers have played an important role in American history. They have helped to connect people across the country and have made it possible for people to communicate quickly and easily. Telephone numbers are now an essential part of American life.