Who remembers, Party Lines

[adk hunter]

Yes Len, you have inspired me!

When my cap guns got confiscated Dad called Gram on a PARTY LINE!

Can you imagine that!! All the neighbors listening in or interrupting if they had a "real" call to make. Almeada (her real name) was down the hill about a mile but that was just the start of the party. She would be listening to the whole neighborhood. Call it a few square miles. She always had the latest 911 info. Gramp used to go up to her folks every evening and get caught up. Sometimes even hear some gossip the Rebeca's (Gram) were stirring in the pot on Sundays. Those folks didn't have running water or 'lectricity either. Some still don't...

 

[Rick Richard]

Yep

 

[Mrvmax]

Yep, Swanson TV dinners in all aluminum, 12 ounce cans of soda with pull tabs, Viewmaster, Pong, Mattel head to head football, Weeble Wobbles, Mr. Green Jeans and Captain Kangaroo, Romper Room, black and white Superman TV show, tube socks, 2" thick Sears catalog, drive in movies. Seems like just yesterday.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Yes Len, you have inspired me!

When my cap guns got confiscated Dad called Gram on a PARTY LINE!

Can you imagine that!! All the neighbors listening in or interrupting if they had a "real" call to make. Almeada (her real name) was down the hill about a mile but that was just the start of the party. She would be listening to the whole neighborhood. Call it a few square miles. She always had the latest 911 info. Gramp used to go up to her folks every evening and get caught up. Sometimes even hear some gossip the Rebeca's (Gram) were stirring in the pot on Sundays. Those folks didn't have running water or 'lectricity either. Some still don't...

Heck, you must be as old as I am. I clearly remember having a party line. Just pick up the phone and hear people having a conversation. LOL

I can also remember my mother being so anti-gun that she would smash our water guns to pieces. If she could only see me now.

Mom also didn't want my brother and I to act like the "3 Stooges" so that was off limits when we were growing up.

 

[FEENIX]

Q: Who remembers Party Lines?

A: Yes, but I grew up without a phone.

 

[YZ-80]

Heck, you must be as old as I am. I clearly remember having a party line. Just pick up the phone and hear people having a conversation. LOL

I can also remember my mother being so anti-gun that she would smash our water guns to pieces. If she could only see me now.

Mom also didn't want my brother and I to act like the "3 Stooges" so that was off limits when we were growing up.

Don't remember Party lines at 57 but of course, remember dial phones, rabbit ears and beer/soda cans with rivets down the side of them that would crush your skull if you tried to crush them on your skull. As for TV, I was forbidden to watch Monty Python and Benny Hill on the UHF station but where there's a will, there's a way!

 

[Bret GRAVELINE Graveline]

At 65 I remember them well, soda cans with no pull taps, one needed a churchkey/bottle/can opener and the herters catalog,

 

[M1A1ABRAMS]

Don't remember Party lines at 57 but of course, remember dial phones, rabbit ears and beer/soda cans with rivets down the side of them that would crush your skull if you tried to crush them on your skull. As for TV, I was forbidden to watch Monty Python and Benny Hill on the UHF station but where there's a will, there's a way!

C'mon, I'm 55 and we had a party line. Perhaps you came from a well to do family. No disrespect meant. But it did cost a little more for a private line at least in PA. It is possible MD went private sooner also. We had a private line once everyone else got a private line. lol My mom was always on the phone w/ her sisters. After she got home from work & made supper. I tend too believe, that's why everyone else got a private line. lol

 

[RB II]

My grandmother had a party line at her house. I was dating a girl who lived nearby who was also on the same party line. Needless to say that one of our phone conversations about one of our most recent "dates" was overheard. A few days later my grandmother confronted me about what I was doing with that girl. Took some fast talking and quick on the old feet responses to talk my way off of that ledge!!!
So, yes, I very vividly remember party lines!!!

 

[338 dude]

Yep, Swanson TV dinners in all aluminum, 12 ounce cans of soda with pull tabs, Viewmaster, Pong, Mattel head to head football, Weeble Wobbles, Mr. Green Jeans and Captain Kangaroo, Romper Room, black and white Superman TV show, tube socks, 2" thick Sears catalog, drive in movies. Seems like just yesterday.

I don't know if you remember a program called the Skipper Chuck show,it was in the same time era. I was on one episode as a child. It was filmed in Miami Florida.

 

[Grizzly60]

Party lines, those were the days. We done lived past the good Ole days. Everything in this world is going downhill these days.

 

[M1A1ABRAMS]

Party lines, those were the days. We done lived past the good Ole days. Everything in this world is going downhill these days.

I remember having to ask to use the old rotary phone. It was a slight inconvenience. But it sure seems like a better time than today. Now I have 2 phones & no one to call. lol

 

[YZ-80]

C'mon, I'm 55 and we had a party line. Perhaps you came from a well to do family. No disrespect meant. But it did cost a little more for a private line at least in PA. It is possible MD went private sooner also. We had a private line once everyone else got a private line. lol My mom was always on the phone w/ her sisters. After she got home from work & made supper. I tend too believe, that's why everyone else got a private line. lol

Actually, it was Upstate NY. But no, can't remember party lines but I'm sure they were around. Probably started using the phone more in the mid-70s. I do remember fights over the phone (get off I want to use it!) with my sisters and listening in on their conversations from the other phone in the house. Also, getting in trouble for making long distance calls, which showed up on the phone bill.

 

[BW64]

At 78 ya we had party lines until I was 12. Also got our first tv when I was 11. Before that it was at my Auntie's house on Saturday nights for tv. pattern & national anthem at midnight!