Insulators Home > My Collection > Miscellaneous > Southwestern Bell Pole Tag
Material: Metal (aluminum)
Size: 1.375 inch height; 1.375 inch width
Year: 1920-1939 ?
Usage: nailed to wood telephone/powerline poles to identify the company which owns them
These were used to mark the poles owned by Southwestern Bell, now called SBC. A Dallas Morning News article says the "Southwestern Bell" name was used for 82 years, from 1920 to 2002.
The Bell System Memorial's Logo History page indicates bells of identical shape were used in AT&T's logos from the first one in 1889 until a differently shaped bell was first introduced in 1939's logo revision. As this pole tag is in the shape of that first bell, and the "Southwestern Bell" name (with its "SW" initials) was not introduced until April 1920, I am surmising that this tag was produced between 1920 and the shape-change in 1939, although they might have continued to use this shape for later tags.
Marking: (Cut Out) SW
Acquired: August 12, 2004 - gift from Chris S.
Notes: retrieved from a pole in Beaumont, Texas
Insulators Home > My Collection > Miscellaneous > Southwestern Bell Pole Tag
Contact: A.C. Walker