The Wire Comes to Aberdeen
A town finally speaks to the outside world, instantly shortening the distance between the harbor and the rest of the globe.
On Friday, at 1:05 p.m., telegraphic communication was established between Aberdeen and the outside world. The following is the first message that was sent over the wire from the company's office in the Young building, partly occupied by Allen Hamilton, on Heron street: 'Aberdeen, Wash, July 31, 1891. To Geo. W. Boynton, Montesano, Wash.: Here goes first telegraph message from Aberdeen. Hereafter we talk. Geo. D. Allen.'
“Here goes first telegraph message from Aberdeen. Hereafter we talk.”
In 1891, the telegraph was the cutting-edge of connectivity, transforming a remote logging town into a modern participant in national commerce and news. Today, that sense of being 'connected' has shifted from the telegraph wire to high-speed fiber optics, yet the civic pride in securing the infrastructure for that link remains exactly the same.
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