4/14/2013:
On this date in 1938, the Mott Pioneer Press reported on a milestone advancement for North Dakotans.
The newspaper boasted that “for the first time in the history of the Northwestern Bell Telephone Company,” North Dakotans could place a call to Sweden.
E. G. Erickson of Harvey and August Erickson of Bowbells, along with Jonas Johnson of Kenmare, called the Ericksons’ father, who lived in Vallsta.
They called from Harvey, and the connection was routed from there to Minot, to Minneapolis, to New York, to London, to Holland, to Hamburg, to Rostock (Germany), to Stockholm, and finally to Vallsta, through radio, undersea cables and open wire.
The reason for the call was a landmark, too — it was Mr. Erickson’s 81st birthday!
Dakota Datebook written by Sarah Walker
Source:
Mott Pioneer Press, April 14, 1938