Example of an early cellular telephone in use in 1984. The woman was the vice president of Ameritech, the Chicago-based regional Bell Operating Company that operated the pioneering Chicago cell system. (Image Source: Morven Museum & Garden)

On Thursday, July 28 at 6:30 p.m., spend an evening discovering six episodes of major AT&T innovations (many created in New Jersey), presented by AT&T’s Corporate Historian Dr. Sheldon Hochheiser.

These discoveries include:

The Telephone that started it all (Massachusetts).

The High Vacuum Tube Amplifier (New York), which made it possible to amplify an electrical signal, and thus made transcontinental telephone service possible. It also enabled radio and television transmission.

Sound Motion Picture (New York) was one application of the High Vacuum Tube Amplifier. Most people do not know that this was invented by AT&T.

The Transistor (New Jersey).

Communications Satellites (New Jersey).

Cellular Telephony (New Jersey).

Ticket prices are $5-20. Purchase tickets at https://bit.ly/3nQINdR. Doors open for the in-person event in the Stockton Education Center at 6 p.m. with light refreshments available. Q&A for both live and virtual attendees will follow the lecture. The virtual program waiting room opens at 6 p.m. and live and virtual programming both begin at 6:30 p.m. A Zoom link will be shared the day of the event for remote attendees. 

The museum itself will be open from 5 to 6:15 p.m. where visitors may meet curators of the exhibition “Ma Bell: The Mother of Invention in New Jersey.” For more information about Morven Museum & Garden, visit https://www.morven.org.