American Bell Telephone

Bell's 19th century national holding company
Predecessor: Bell Telephone Successor: AT&T / Bell System
From Wikipedia
The Bell Telephone Company was an American telecommunications company active from 1877 to 1899. It was the initial corporate entity from which the Bell System originated to build a continental conglomerate and monopoly in telecommunication services in the United States and Canada. More on Wikipedia →
Three-Boxer Circa 1880
Three-Boxer Circa 1880
1880
American Bell Long Distance Transmitter
American Bell Long Distance Transmitter
1887
American Bell Desk Stand with Blake Transmitter
American Bell Desk Stand with Blake Transmitter
1891
Early American Bell Potbelly Candlestick
Early American Bell Potbelly Candlestick
1892
“Erie” Type American Bell Candlestick
“Erie” Type American Bell Candlestick
1893
National Bell merges with American Speaking Tel. to become American Bell Telephone Co.
National Bell merges with American Speaking Tel. to become American Bell Telephone Co.
1880
British government rules for Bell against Edison
Thomas Edison
1880
American Bell creates Long Lines division
1880
Bell Telephone Company of Canada founded
Bell Telephone Company of Canada founded
1880
Bell ends technical role at Bell Telephone, establishes Volta Laboratory
Alexander Graham Bell
1881
Watson retires from Bell at age 27
Thomas A. Watson
1881
National Telephone Co formed by merger of Bell and Edison interests
National Telephone Co formed by merger of Bell and Edison interests
1881
Bell acquires Western Electric, and Enos Barton takes over engineering
Enos M. Barton
1881
Bell Telephone Manufacturing Co. founded in Antwerp
Bell Telephone Manufacturing Co. founded in Antwerp
1882
American Bell forms AT&T as subsidiary to operate long distance network
1885
First blue 'Bell' signs start to appear in the U.S.
First blue 'Bell' signs start to appear in the U.S.
1888
Supreme Court upholds Bell's patent
Supreme Court upholds Bell's patent
1888
First New York to Chicago phone call
First New York to Chicago phone call
1893
First 'common battery' central office (Lexington, Mass.)
First 'common battery' central office (Lexington, Mass.)
1893
Bell's patent expires; independent telephone movement begins
Bell's patent expires; independent telephone movement begins
1894
AT&T becomes holding co for American Bell's assets
AT&T becomes holding co for American Bell's assets
1899
Enos M. Barton
Enos M. Barton
Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell
Emile Berliner
Emile Berliner
Francis Blake
Francis Blake
Androv Carlson
Androv Carlson
William Hathaway Forbes
William Hathaway Forbes
Ezra Gilliland
Ezra Gilliland
Gardiner Greene Hubbard
Gardiner Greene Hubbard
Moses Greeley Parker
Moses Greeley Parker
Charles Fleetford Sise
Charles Fleetford Sise
James J. Storrow
James J. Storrow
Alfred Stromberg
Alfred Stromberg
Theodore Newton Vail
Theodore Newton Vail
Thomas A. Watson
Thomas A. Watson
Charles Williams, Jr.
Charles Williams, Jr.
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1881
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1881
1881
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1882
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1882
1882
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1884
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1884
1884
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1885
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1885
1885
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1887
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1887
1887
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1889
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1889
1889
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1890
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1890
1890
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1891
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1891
1891
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1892
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1892
1892
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1893
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1893
1893
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1894
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1894
1894
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1895
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1895
1895
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1896
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1896
1896
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1897
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1897
1897
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1898
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1898
1898
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1899
American Bell Telephone Annual Report, 1899
1899
Bell long distance circuits map
Bell long distance circuits map
1891
First 'common battery' central office system installed, in Lexington, Massachusetts
First 'common battery' central office system installed, in Lexington, Massachusetts
1893