History of the Dundee, Iowa, phone system
The Delaware County Telephone Company built a new house in 1914 to be used as a telephone office and home for the Aimers. The new switchboard had 50 local lines and 12 toll lines. The party lines in the country had several people on them but the rest in town were local one-party lines. These phones were still operated by a crank and batteries until electricity was installed. The Aimers girls helped at the switchboard as they were growing up and until they got married and left home. They also received fire calls and blew the fire siren. She also blew the town whistle at 7 a.m., 12 noon, 1 p.m., and 6 p.m. Her salary was $45 a month.
In 1948 the telephone company switched to dial phones and eliminated all of the small offices. On February 28, 1948 the Dundee office was closed. It was Jennie’s 75th birthday. Her last two calls were to her two daughters in Chicago and Kansas City.