In the 1940’s, the telephone was an essential tool for the business operations among towns and cities. People could link together from miles away with technology that was unimaginable just a few decades before. Old telephone directories can provide a fascinating look at what has been lost since the emergence of cell phones. The 1945-1946 Danville & Chatham Telephone Directory, was 54 pages long and included listings of local home phones, business advertisements, a table of call rates, and practical advice for ensuring successful phone calls. The directory serves a window into a community and a communication system that laid the groundwork for the interconnected world of smartphones today.

The front inside cover featured a helpful table of typical rates for calling from Danville to out-of-town points, when each location had a different rate under the Revenue Act of 1943. “Day Rates apply from 4:30 AM to 6:00 PM weekdays; Night and Sunday Rates from 6:00 PM to 4:30 AM weekdays and all day on Sundays. Rates are for 3 minutes except on station-to-station calls of 25c or less, which are for 5 minutes.” For example, it cost $0.20 to call from Danville to Bachelor’s Hall. Other prices included $0.25 to Chatham; $0.35 to Martinsville, Gretna, and South Boston. For more than half a dollar, rates included $0.55 to Lynchburg and Durham, N.C., $0.65 to Appomattox and Raleigh, N.C.; $0.90 to Richmond and Charlotte, N.C. For more than one dollar, rates included $1.05 to Newport News and $1.10 to Norfolk and Washington, D.C. To put these prices into perspective, one dollar in 1945 is about the same as $17 in 2024. For rates to other places, the booklet suggests to call the operator and dial “Long Distance.”

The booklet includes a guide to ensure the old fashioned turn-dial phones were dialed correctly. At the top of the page it asks, “Do you sometimes get the wrong number?” For “remedies,” the booklet advises to “MAKE CERTAIN of the number you want by consulting this directory before calling. Always listen for the DIAL TONE. The apparatus cannot handle your call until you hear it. Take your time. DIAL CAREFULLY. A few seconds more may save you minutes and prevent the irritation of a wrong number. Turn the dial to the finger stop each time and let it return naturally. Do not force it back. The NATURAL unwinding of the dial operates the apparatus. If you hear the BUSY SIGNAL, or if you make a mistake, hang up for a few moments and then proceed as on a new call.”

The first half of the directory included home numbers and the second half had numbers for businesses. Here is a selection from the list of grocers, some of which had as few as two digit phone numbers.

• Carl D. Jones Grocery, on 1633 Washington, phone number *3326
• Jones Bros Grocery, “Complete Food Center–-Nearby Delivery” on 501 Kemper Road, phone number *3226.
• McFarling Feed & Grocery, 507 Loyal Street, phone number 3433.
• Old Dutch Super Market Inc, at 202 Floyd Street, phone number 18.
• Smith’s Cash Grocery, “Good Quality Groceries–Meats–Delivery” on 1468 N Main St, phone number 3322.
• Earnest W. Setliff “Groceries–Meats–Vegetables–Schoolfield Delivery” in Schoolfield, phone number *132.
• Wyatt Modern Food Store on 710 Cabell St, phone number 1454.
• Yates Bros on 501 S Main Street, phone number 1703.
  

This directory reveals a world where a phone call required careful planning and understanding of rates. Today, it is nearly effortless to call and text someone from across the world. Reflecting on such historical documents highlights how far communication technology has come and helps to appreciate some of the nearly obsolete practices of past generations.