Prairie Grove Airlight Outdoor Telephone Booth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Prairie Grove Airlight Outdoor Telephone Booth
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The telephone booth, November 2012
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 Location in Arkansas
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| Location | Prairie Grove, Arkansas |
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| Built | c. 1960 |
| NRHP reference No. | 15000291 |
| Added to NRHP | November 9, 2015 |
The Prairie Grove Airlight Outdoor Telephone Booth is a special telephone booth located in Prairie Grove, Arkansas, USA. You can find it at the corner of East Douglas and Parker Streets. This phone booth is an early example of the "Airlight" model. It was the first type of metal phone booth made in large numbers that could stand up to different weather. This design made it possible to put payphones almost anywhere outdoors. In 2015, it became the very first phone booth to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's considered an important historical site!
What Makes This Phone Booth Special?
This unique phone booth is on the east side of Prairie Grove. It's right across from the entrance to Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park. You can see it in front of the Colonial Motel, near U.S. Highway 62.
The booth is made of shiny aluminum and has glass walls. It has a special bifold door that folds inward when you open it. On top, there's a red panel that clearly says "TELEPHONE."
It stands on a small concrete base. The door faces the highway, making it easy for people to use. The booth is about 86 inches (219 cm) tall. At its bottom, it's about 33.5 inches (85 cm) wide and deep. The top is a bit wider, with an aluminum roof that sticks out slightly.
Inside the booth, there's an aluminum shelf. The original telephone is still mounted above this shelf. There's also a holder for a phone book that can swivel. A light fixture in the ceiling helps you see inside.
History of the Airlight Phone Booth
This particular phone booth is an "Airlight Outdoor Telephone Booth." The company American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T) first introduced this design in 1954. Before the Airlight, most public phones were only found inside buildings. This new design allowed phones to be placed outdoors.
The Prairie Grove Telephone Company installed this specific booth around 1960. It was meant for visitors staying at the nearby motel and those visiting the state park. This is the only one of the company's first four outdoor booths that is still standing today.
In 2014, an SUV accidentally damaged the phone booth. The company quickly repaired it. They replaced some of the glass panes and straightened the bent metal parts. Ralph Wilcox, who works with historic preservation in Arkansas, believes this is one of only two working Airlight phone booths in the entire state.
Because of its history and unique design, the Prairie Grove Airlight Outdoor Telephone Booth was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 9, 2015.
Images for kids
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Inside of Airlight phone booth
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Bifold door
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Red panels
