Display at the museum in Bonham Texas

Before the days of Iphones with internet service, even before the days of CNN 24 hour television news, this is how breaking news was sent around the world. Associated Press teletype machines would print out the stories that were written by reporters.

To the left of the teletype machine is an old telephone switchboard. Before automatic switching, when you made a call, a person would connect your line to another line to "physically" connect two telephones.