Ephemeral reader Sheena passed along these photos she recently took of two old-school signs featuring pre-1960s two-letter phone exchanges. Both come from Crown Heights.
The DE in this F. Goldsmith & Sons sign could stand for Dewey or Defender. What those two words have to do with Brooklyn, I have no idea.
NI is for Nightingale—and Michael Cerverizzo & Sons is still in business on Flatlands Avenue.
Tags: Brooklyn phone exchanges, Crown Heights history, Defender phone exchange, Dewey phone exchange, Michael Cerverizzo & Sons, old New York City phone exchanges, old signs, vintage New York City signs
Ephemeral New York 
January 25, 2011 at 6:09 am |
Funny after all these years, I still remember my Grandparents phone number in Brighton Beach – Nightingale 8- 2488. How come I can’t remember last week?
August 21, 2017 at 11:29 pm |
The telephone exchanges in Crown Heights were President, Slocum, Ingersoll, and Hyacinth.