Prairie Grove, AR-2020

Focused On Progress PGTELCO History

The front of Prairie Grove Telephone Company’s office

PGTELCO is family-owned and operated and has been since its incorporation in 1906. Since its inception, PGTELCO has always been committed to making the satisfaction of its customers its top priority. It began in 1888 when Dr. E.G. McCormick strung telephone lines between his medical office and his brother’s pharmacy. At first the telephone line was a novelty, but soon Dr. McCormick discovered that there was a big demand for telephone service. Later that year, Dr. McCormick, with the help of Dr. Gladson and Jim McIlroy, established a line that ran from Fayetteville to Prairie Grove. This telephone line was reportedly one of the longest in the state of Arkansas at the time. In 1906 Dr. McCormick and M.M. Collier began the Prairie Grove Telephone Company and bought a switchboard to handle all of the calls. The company has grown steadily ever since, keeping up with the growth of West Washington County.

The first central office was located in a small room on the second floor of a main street building where a bundle of telephone wires came in through the wall. In the early 1950’s the office was moved to its present location on Mock Street in Prairie Grove. James C. Parks, Dr. McCormick’s son-in-law, began working first as a switchboard operator then became General Manager and later President of the Prairie Grove Telephone Company. He operated the Telephone Company until his death in 1958. Thecompanycontinuedtogrow,butduringtheDepressionthegrowth began to decline when many of the customers returned their magneto (crank-style wall phones). Mr. Parks never disconnected a phone for non-payment, even after the Depression years had ended. Phone bills were often paid with eggs, vegetables, and an occasional cow.

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