First Telephone Book

Alexander Graham Bell was granted a patent on his telephone in 1876. He demonstrated it to visitors to the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition that same year. In early 1878, he installed the first telephone exchange, in New Haven, Connecticut. The first telephone "book" - actually just a single 14 cm. x 21 cm. sheet - was issued in New Haven in 1878. Below is a 1978 facsimile of that sheet. To the right is the same text, suitable for computer searching.

By the way, a New Haven telephone book issued later in 1878, containing numerous pages and including advertisements, sold at auction in 2008 for $170,500. This was purportedly the first telephone book with more than one sheet of paper.

LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS.
New Haven District Telephone Company.
OFFICE 219 CHAPEL STREET.
February 21, 1878.

Residences.
Rev. JOHN E. TODD.
J. B. CARRINGTON.
H. B. BIGELOW.
C. W. SCRANTON.
GEORGE W. COY.
G. L. FERRIS.
H. P. FROST.
M. F. TYLER.
I. H. BROMLEY.
GEO. E. THOMPSON.
WALTER LEWIS.

Physicians.
DR. E. L. R. THOMPSON.
DR. A. E. WINCHELL.
DR. C. S. THOMSON, Fair Haven.

Dentists.
DR. E. S. GAYLORD.
DR. R. F. BURWELL.

Miscellaneous.
REGISTER PUBLISHING CO.
POLICE OFFICE.
POST OFFICE.
MERCANTILE CLUB.
QUINNIPIAC CLUB.
F. V. McDONALD, Yale News.
SMEDLEY BROS. & CO.
M. F. TYLER, Law Chambers.

Stores, Factories, &c.
O. A. DORMAN.
STONE & CHIDSEY.
NEW HAVEN FLOUR CO. State St.
    "           "           "       " Cong. ave.
    "           "           "       " Grand St.
    "           "           "       Fair Haven.
ENGLISH & MERSICK.
NEW HAVEN FOLDING CHAIR CO.
H. HOOKER & CO.
W. A. ENSIGN & SON.
H. B. BIGELOW & CO.
C. COWLES & CO.
C. S. MERSICK & CO.
SPENCER & MATTHEWS.
PAUL ROESSLER.
E. S. WHEELER & CO.
ROLLING MILL CO.
APOTHECARIES HALL.
E. A. GESSNER.
AMERICAN TEA CO.

Meat & Fish Markets.
W. H. HITCHINGS, City Market.
GEO. E. LUM,             "         "
A. FOOTE & CO.
STRONG, HART & CO.

Hack and Boarding Stables.
CRUTTENDEN & CARTER.
BARKER & RANSOM.

Office open from 6 A. M. to 2 A. M.
After March 1st, this Office will be open all night.