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BIGELOW "RANCH HOUSE" HOMESTEAD, STAGELINE, AND TELEPHONE COMPANY IN THE MID 1800'S THE FAMILY BEGAN BIGELOW FARMS RAISING SHORTHORN CATTLE AND COLUMBIA SHEEP. THE BIGELOW/SILKWOOD/MATTES FAMILIES STILL RAISE CATTLE ON THIS RANCH TODAY. IN 1900 HARMON BIGELOW SECURED A CONTRACT TO TRANSPORT U.S. MAIL. THESE SERVICES GREW IN THE FOOTHILL / MOUNTAIN AREAS AND A STAGELINE WAS ESTABLISHED. IN 1908 AT O'NEALS THE TELEPHONE NETWORK BEGAN WHEN HARMON'S WIFE, LEOTA ORDERED TWO PHONES CONSISTING OF CAN-LIKE DEVICES AND A WIRE CONNECTING THEM SO SHE COULD TALK TO HER MOTHER WHO LIVED A MILE AWAY. IN 1911 THE BIGELOW LINE WAS CONNECTED TO THE BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY AT CLOVIS CALIFORNIA. THE STATE RAILROAD COMMISSION GAVE THE BIGELOW'S A FRANCHISED TERRITORY OF 650 SQ. MILES FOR THE TWO COUNTIES, ASSIGNED TARIFF RATES, AND ESTABLISHED THE BIGELOW TELEPHONE COMPANY. BY 1944 THE CO. HAD 24 HOUR SWITCHBOARD OPERATIONS SERVING CUSTOMERS. BY 1950 THE CO. SUPPORTED THE COMMUNITIES OF AUBERRY, BIG CREEK, FRIANT, NORTH FORK, O'NEALS AND SHAVER LAKE. IN 1957 THE NAME WAS CHANGED TO THE PONDEROSA TELEPHONE COMPANY AND THE FIRST DIAL TONE SYSTEM WAS SERVICED TO NORTH FORK. IN 1960 THE MANUALLY RUN SWITCHBOARD WAS UPGRADED TO AN AUTOMATED SWITCHING AND TOLL TRACKING SYSTEM. IN 1981 THE CO. INTRODUCED THE FIRST TOUCH TONE CALLING FEATURE. LUANNE SILKWOOD BECAME THE 1st WOMAN PRESIDENT OF THE CO. IN 1983 AND THE 1st WOMAN PRESIDENT OF THE CALIFORNIA TELEPHONE ASSOCIATION. THE CO. GREW, AND BY 1991 HAD INSTALLED THE FIRST FIBER OPTIC ROUTE FROM O'NEALS TO MERCER TOWER, AND IN 1997 ESTABLISHED PONDEROSA INTERNET. IN 2008 THE CO. TURNED 100 YEARS OLD AND OPENED THE CUSTOMER CARE CENTER NEXT TO THE HOMESTEAD. THE COMPANY IS STILL FAMILY OWNED WITH APPROXIMATELY 80 EMPLOYEES SERVICING 10,000 CUSTOMERS IN THE MOUNTAIN AREAS. DEDICATED IN THE YEAR 2024, E CLAMPUS VITUS, GRUB GULCH CHAPTER 41-49 47697 Rd 200, O'Neals, CA 93645
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