New Haven, CT Birthed the Modern Telephone #newhavenct #telephone #history In 1878, New Haven, Connecticut became the birthplace of the modern telephone. George Coy launched the world’s first commercial telephone exchange in the Boardman Building, connecting callers through a central switchboard. Within weeks came the first phone book—just 50 names and no numbers. Early operators were boys, soon replaced by women known for patience and poise. By year’s end, subscribers had grown eightfold, layin