100 Bradford Street, New England Telephone and Telegraph Company central switchboard, courtesy of Duane Steele and Mary-Jo Avellar.
Mary-Jo Avellar and Duane Steele, 100 Bradford Street, by David W. Dunlap (2012).
Provincetown had hand-cranked telephones until 1938, when 100 Bradford was built as the switching center for the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company, allowing customers to lift their receivers to summon an operator. Until 1966, 16 telephone operators stood by, greeting callers: “Number please.” After the town converted to direct dialing, this was briefly the Chrysler Glass Museum, home of Walter Chrysler Jr.’s collection of Sandwich glass. The Advocate moved here in 1975. It undertook an expansion and modernization in 1977, designed by John Moberg of Mobic Design-Build, with a newsroom, composing room, and two darkrooms. The newspaper was acquired by Duane Steele and Mary-Jo Avellar, who still live here.
Building Provincetown 