Western Union Display Rack

ca. 1940

Western Union Telegraph Company was founded in Rochester, New York, in 1851 as The New York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company. After acquisition of competing companies, the company changed its name to Western Union Telegraph Company in 1856. By forming cooperative contracts with the railroads, Western Union Telegraph Company developed a dominant network of telegraph lines running alongside railroad tracks. Yearly messages sent over its lines increased from 5.8 million in 1867 to 63.2 million in 1900.

Walnut, acetate. H 23.1, W 23.7, L 7.6 cm
Steamtown National Historic Site, STEA 976