The albums on this page contains photos of the museum that was lost in the September 2015 Butte forest fire.
Click on one of the thumbnails below to view the images in a gallery.
Click here for photos of the new JKL Museum in the Santa Cruz CA area.
Museum Areas
Telephones
Early Telephone Apparatus
Title: Gallows Telephone
Description: This model of Bell's first telephone is a duplicate of the instrument through which speech sounds were first transmitted electrically, 1875. Historical Replica, reproduced by Bell Telephone Laboratories Inc, 463 West Street New York, NY
Date: 1875
Title: Liquid transmitter
Description: "Mr. Watson, come here; I want you!" These historic words, the first articulate sentence ever spoken over an electric telephone, were uttered by Alexander Graham Bell when he spilled on his clothes some sulfuric acid which was part of the transmission apparatus. It was the night of March 10, 1876. The receiver was a tuned reed. Reproduction marked serial number LT 273, Historical Replica, made by Columbine Machine Shop, 1835 South Acoma street, Denver, Colorado, 80223
Date: 1876
Title: Centennial model
Description: Bell's Centennial model, 1876. "My word! It talks!" exclaimed Emperor Dom Pedro of Brazil on June 25, 1876, when he listened to the receiver of this early telephone at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. One of the judges, Sir William Thomson (later Lord Kelvin) called Bell's invention "the most wonderful thing in America." Reproduction marked serial number ZHC 926, made by Zimmerman Historical Collection, Box 513, Innisfail, Alta, Canada, T0M 1A0
Date: 1876
Title: Box telephone
Description: This first Commercial Telephone was called the box telephone, 1877. The round, camera—like opening on this box instrument served as transmitter and receiver, needed mouth—to—ear shifts. Developed by Bell in the fall of 1876, it went into service in 1877 when a Boston banker leased two instruments which were attached to a line between his office and his home in Somerville, Mass. The box was sometimes as much as fourteen inches long to accommodate a big horseshoe magnet. Reproduction marked serial number BT 229, Historical Replica, made by Columbine Machine Shop, 1835 South Acoma street, Denver, Colorado, 80223
Date: 1877
Title: Butterstamp
Description: In 1877 Bell designed the first set with a combined receiver an transmitter that could be held in on hand. It was made of wood and resembled a dairy butterstamp, hence its name. It was in service when the world's first commercial switchboard opened in New Haven in 1878. The pushbutton was used to signal the operator. Reproduction by John Infurna.
Date: 1877
Title: Coffin type telephone
Description: Wood / walnut telephone, replica of early coffin type telephone by John Infurna, marked 2307, with 2 Bell receivers/transmitters marked D351 & D352.
Title: Blake transmitter
Description: Blake, 1880, This desk telephone of 1880 featured a carbon transmitter, invented in 1878 by Francis Blake, Junior. Carbon, a material, which made it easier to send the voice over wires, was widely used in telephones in the United States until the 1980s. Reproduction by John Infurna
Date: 1880
Title: Viaduct 3 box, 1 jug telephone
Description: Wood / walnut 3 box, 1 jug telephone made by Viaduct Manufacturing Company Baltimore with unmarked Blake transmitter and long pole receiver. This telephone has a very special switch hook mechanism known as "Comb's Universal Telephone Switchhook." as advertised in Knappen's book.
Date: 1893
Title: Long distance transmitter
Description: Long distance transmitter, 1886. The search for better ways of transmitting the voice led to the development of this model which used a platinum diaphragm for better long distance transmission. The instrument shown in this picture actually was used by Bell and later Theodore N. Vail, organizing genius of the Bell System. Reproduction by John Infurna.
Date: 1886
Title: Speaking tube
Description: Speaking tube set mounted on a No. 2 desk stand 1892 — 1900. The telephone of the Gay Ninties was a compact model with a "watch case" receiver and ornate base. This telephone is also known as "speaking tube". Reproduction by John Infurna.
Date: 1892
Title: Western Electric Number 10
Description: Metal desk stand / candlestick telephone made by Western Electric, with an early 7 digit transmitter marked 3492255 and unmarked long pole receiver. This telephone is also known as the Western Electric Number 10 desk set.
Date: Circa 1899
Prototype and Field Trail
Telephone Switching
Vehicles
Lyons NE
Miscellaneous
