Alexandria, TN-2020

COMMUNITY INFORMATION

Your TOTAL Communications Provider

HISTORY: The present DTC Communications serving area includes the Milton, Norene, Auburntown, Alexandria, Liberty, Temperance Hall, Woodbury, Smithville, Gordonsville and Woodland exchanges. These exchanges cover most of DeKalb and Cannon counties, as well as parts of Smith, Wilson, Rutherford, Warren and Coffee counties. The Cooperative boasts an interesting beginning in 1951 and a history of constant changes and expansions. During the awful February of 1951 and Tennessee’s terrible ice storm, the country around Alexandria lay beaten and helpless. Not only were the people shut off from the outside world, but also from neighbors on the next farm. Besides other damages, the sleet and ice had smashed their telephone lines - such as they were - beyond repair. The same situation existed at Liberty, Temperance Hall, Dowelltown, Sykes and other communities in the area. The people were down- hearted because they couldn’t see how these small communities could raise money even to build another “grapevine” system. But a miracle did happen - in less than two years. With assistance from the Alexandria Lions Club, a non-profit corporation was formed to apply to the Rural Electrical Administration for a low-interest loan to con- struct a telephone system for the area. DeKalb Telephone was incorporated in June 1951, and the first loan of $180,000 was approved December 17, 1951 to construct three ex- changes: Alexandria, Liberty, and Temperance Hall. FromOctober 1953 to December 1953, buildings were completed, central office equipment and telephones installed and cut over planned. December 19, 1953 a cut over celebration was held and the system was placed in operation with connection to the outside world once again for 508 subscribers.

The Cooperative pur- chased the Gordonsville Home Telephone Sys- tem from B.D. and Floy Haynes, the Auburntown Telephone Company from Ewin and Jimmie Davis; the Smithville Telephone Company from J.E. and Myrtie Evins during 1954; the Hickman Telephone Company in January 1955 and expanded service to the Gassaway Community in October 1955. By 1956 the Cooperative had spent $919,000 and the Gor- donsville, Auburntown and Smithville exchanges had joined the system.

By 1958 the Cooperative had taken over and acquired the systems at Milton, Readyville, Woodbury, Short Mountain, Statesville and Norene. These systems were cut over to dial operation in 1959. The New Mid- dleton Telephone Company was acquired in March 1960. On February 26, 1964 the Brush Creek Telephone Company was acquired. Eight-party service was deleted with one and two party service provided during the late 1960’s. During 1972 service was upgraded to one-party. Central office equipment was installed in the new Woodland exchange late 1973. The organization was converted into a Cooperative, non-profit, gener- al welfare, membership corporation subject to the provisions of Chap- ter 29 of Title 65 of the Tennessee Code Annotated May 17, 1974 by a special meeting of the Board of Directors. The first digital central office switch was installed in Woodbury in 1982. Smithville was the second exchange to be converted to digital in 1988. In 1989 Alexandria, Liberty, Temperance Hall and Gordonsville ex- changes were converted. With conversion of the Auburntown, Milton, Woodland and Norene switches in 1990, all exchanges are now digital.

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