Things were simple at the start of telephones. It was easy to call your operator and ask them to connect you with someone in your area. You can ask your operator to connect you to a doctor and ask her which one she would recommend. The phone system eventually grew beyond local networks to connect towns, counties and states as well as nations. First, a number system was created so that everyone could call each other directly. But then there wasn’t enough numbers. Area Code Day is a celebration of the solution that has been a part our daily lives since then.

Area codes were first created in the 1940s by Bell and AT&T in their laboratories. Slowly but surely, this idea was refined and put into practice until finally it became effective in 1947. The North American Numbering Plan (NANP), was created to solve the problem of insufficient phone numbers in the USA and Canada. It began with the assignment of codes to single-area codes. Codes that included a 0 in their middle were used for numbering states and provincials.

Some creative ideas were used to make dialing more simple, such as how numbers were distributed. Are you in an area with a lot of people? Area codes with lower numbers at the end and beginning will be assigned. Why? Why? How can rotary phones dial quicker? You can dial faster by using numbers closer to zero, which means they take less time to pull.

Yes, we know it’s a rotary phone. But trust us, you were there. It worked.

Area Code Day can be celebrated by taking time to learn about this innovation and how it was implemented. It has had far more impact on our lives than just the number. They have been given political power and other activities, both good and evil. In larger areas, such as major metropolitan cities, some gangs identify themselves by the zip code rather than their hometown. Take some time to read it and see what you can find. You might also want to look at a map showing the area codes.