Prairie Grove Telephone Company Records
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Scope and Content Note
Journals, Reports and Correspondence, 1884-1987
This collection includes correspondence, accounting records, tax reports, stock certificates, deeds, clippings, and other items. For more information on the McCormick and Parks families, see the Myrtle McCormick Parks Family Papers (MC 723).
Dates
- 1884-1987
Creator
- Prairie Grove Telephone Company (Ark.) (Organization)
Language of Materials
Materials are in English.
Access Information
Please call (479) 575-8444 or email specoll@uark.edu at least two weeks in advance of your arrival to ensure availability of the materials.
Use Information
No Use Restrictions Apply.
No Interlibrary Loan.
Standard Federal Copyright Laws Apply (U.S. Title 17).
Biographical Note
In 1888, Dr. E.G. McCormick strung a telephone wire from his office to his brother William's pharmacy next door. Eventually, enough people were asking for and receiving phone service from the McCormicks' small enterprise that in 1906, the two brothers and M.M. Collier incorporated the Prairie Grove Telephone Company. At this time, the new utility was one of two in the rural town. Their competition, the Farmers Mutual Telephone Company, was later bought out by the Prairie Grove Telephone stockholders.
Dr. McCormick's son-in-law, James C. Parks, began working for the Telephone Company in 1907. Parks started as a switchboard operator, worked his way up to General Manager, and was eventually appointed President of the Company where he remained until his death in 1958.
After World War II, demand for service increased and Parks' twin sons, Barry and Donald, joined the Company and began to dig postholes, string wire, and install and repair telephones. In 1979, the telephone company became the first multi-exchange utility in the state of Arkansas to offer all private lines to their subscribers. In 1987, the company now had almost 6000 customers in west Washington County and was the largest family-owned and operated telephone company in Arkansas. At that time, Parks' sons Barry and Donald were Vice-President and General Manager, and Donald's son David was named President in 1986.
Extent
4.25 Linear Feet (7 boxes)
Arrangement of the Papers
- Series 1. Business Records
- Series 2. Annual Reports
- Series 3. Customer Accounts
Acquisition Information
Records of the Prairie Grove Telephone Company were donated to Special Collections by Donald and Barry Parks on March 4, 1987.
Processing Information
Prepared by Susan Parks, Special Collections Division, University of Arkansas Libraries, Fayetteville, Arkansas, February, 1988
Creator
- Prairie Grove Telephone Company (Ark.) (Organization)
Source
- Parks, Barry (Donor, Person)
- Parks, Donald (Donor, Person)
- Title
- Prairie Grove Telephone Company Records
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Susan Parks
- Date
- February 1988
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Department Repository
University of Arkansas Libraries
365 N. McIlroy Avenue
Fayetteville AR 72701 United States
(479) 575-8444
specoll@uark.edu