When Seattle Got Seven-character Telephone Numbers

When the change happened, telephone numbers changed, like this:



FRanklin 1212 became EAst 4-1212.

During this transition, many prefixes disappeared completely as they were incorporated into the new prefix naming scheme. For instance, the old CApitol, EAst, FRanklin, MInor exchanges all became part of the new EAst exchange. Exchange names were useful because they gave a clue to where that number was physically located as well as being something people would recognize in speech. Personally, I also found them easier to remember. The central office equipment (aka the telephone exchange) was located in buildings scattered throughout the city, so it made sense to distribute prefixes to specific geographic areas. That concept still holds true today, although it is mostly for older wired telephones. The newer concept that you can take your phone number with you further dilutes this concept and (of course) it is completely unapplicable for cell phones. In most cities in the US, the concept of your telephone prefix identifying your neighborhood still holds true.

Today, there is so much demand for telephones that phone companies had to abandon named prefixes in favor of completely numeric telephone numbers. Why? Because it made all combinations of numbers available for assignment as telephone numbers. Demand for numbers also forced multiple area codes into the plan. Previously, area codes had 0 or 1 as the 2nd number, but this fell by the wayside.

If you like the concept of having a named prefix, you can still choose a name for your prefix (if the numbers allow it) from the old Bell Telephone list of prefix names.

Original Seattle Prefixes Changes occurred 3/16/1958 GTE was then known as West Coast Telephone Company New Numeric Old Location Remarks ADams 2 232 ADams Mercer Island ALpine 5 255 OLive Renton ATwater 2 282 GArfield Queen Anne / Magnolia ATwater 3 283 ALder Queen Anne / Magnolia ATwater 4 284 MUrdock Queen Anne / Magnolia ATwater 4 284 TWining Queen Anne / Magnolia CEdar 7 237 BRoadway Renton Boeing CEdar 7 237 BRoadway Renton Boeing CHerry 2 242 LOgan Burien CHerry 3 243 CHerry Burien CHerry 4 244 SWift Burien EAst 2 322 EAst Capitol Hill EAst 3 323 CApitol Capitol Hill / Mt Baker EAst 4 324 FRanklin Capitol Hill EAst 5 325 MInor Capitol Hill EMerson 2 362 EMerson Northgate / Lk Forest Park EMerson 3 363 GLadstone Northgate / Lk Forest Park EMerson 4 364 WAbash Northgate / Lk Forest Park EXbrook 2 392 EXbrook Issaquah GLencourt 4 454 GIbson Bellevue HUnter 6 486 HUnter Bothell GTE JUniper 5 585 AXminster City of Seattle (?) JUniper 6 586 AXminster City of Seattle (?) LAkeview 2 522 KEnwood Lakeridge / Sand Point / Wedgewood / Laurelhurst LAkeview 3 523 VErmont Lakeridge / Sand Point / Wedgewood / Laurelhurst LAkeview 4 524 FIllmore Lakeridge / Sand Point / Wedgewood / Laurelhurst LAkeview 5 525 PLaza Lakeridge / Sand Point / Wedgewood / Laurelhurst LIncoln 2 542 LIncoln Richmond Beach GTE LIncoln 6 546 LIncoln Richmond Beach GTE MAin 2 622 MAin Downtown MAin 3 623 ELliott Downtown MAin 4 624 SEneca Downtown MElrose 2 522 MElrose Wallingford MElrose 3 632 EVergreen Wallingford MUtual 2 682 MUtual Downtown PArkway 2 722 RAinier Rainier Valley Beacon Hill PArkway 3 723 LAnder Rainier Valley / Beacon Hill PArkway 5 725 MOhawk Rainier Valley Beacon Hill PRospect 6 776 MYrtle Halls Lake GTE PRospect 8 778 GReenwood Halls Lake GTE SHerwood 6 746 POrter Bellevue SUnset 2 782 SUnset Ballard SUnset 3 783 HEmlock Ballard SUnset 4 784 DExter Ballard TAylor 4 824 GYpsy Des Moines TIme 4 844 COlumbia Time Teller Lady TRinity 8 878 TRinity Des Moines TUcker 5 885 TUcker Redmond GTE VAndyke 2 822 VAndyke Kirkland GTE VIking 2 842 VIking Bainbridge WEst 2 932 WEst West Seattle WEst 5 935 AValon West Seattle WEst 7 937 HOlly West Seattle

Last modified 04/02/2011. 00:45:59

Last modified 04/02/2011. 00:45:59