Western Electric
Manufacturing arm of the Bell System
Western Electric Co., Inc. was an American electrical engineering and manufacturing company that operated from 1869 to 1996. A subsidiary of AT&T Corporation for most of its lifespan, Western Electric was the primary manufacturer, supplier, and purchasing agent for all telephone equipment for the Bell System from 1881 until 1984, when the Bell System was dismantled. More on Wikipedia →
Elisha Gray and Enos Barton incorporate Western Electric, with $ from Western Union
1872
Elisha Gray leaves Western Electric to pursue other inventions
1874
Enos Barton takes over engineering at Bell (Western Electric)
1881
Bell acquires Western Electric to become its manufacturing subsidiary.
1881
Bell Telephone Manufacturing Co. established as European subsidiary
1882
Western Electric Hawthorne Works opens in Chicago
1905
500 Western Electric employees die in disaster on way to company picnic
1915
Western Electric halts phone production to produce wartime systems (e.g. radar)
1941
