Read time: 3 min.

I’ve been writing about AT&T’s old long line towers every Sunday for nearly a year now.  Before cell phones became ubiquitous, the towers enabled long distance communication by relaying signals across the country. It’s been years since the towers were last used for their original purpose, but I’ve been fascinated by them for a long time. Apparently, I’m not alone. 

I was first exposed to Long Line towers as a kid. Growing up, my family often drove from Muncie to Fort Wayne so my parents could drop us kids off halfway to my Dad’s. I was intrigued by a pair of unusual steel towers on the way up there. Unlike typical radio and TV structures, they had strange antennae that piqued my curiosity. Later, I noticed similar concrete towers in northern Indiana and Ohio. Now, I work near another in Anderson. 

It seems like I keep encountering hidden pieces of history wherever I go! Naturally, I started writing about them. My Long Line posts don’t get the most views, likes, or comments, but a couple unexpected messages on my Ko-Fi feed confirmed I’m headed in the right direction.  

The first comment and “coffee” came from Bessie. “Loving your series on longline towers,” she started. “The one in my hometown always caught my eye, sadly it was removed just a few years ago. It really was a noticeable part of the downtown horizon.” 

I bet Bessie lives in Fort Wayne or Terre Haute, where the old KS-15676 horn antennae were removed from AT&Ts central office buildings in the recent past. I hope she doesn’t live in Bloomington, where the old central office still sports them on Google Street View! I’ve yet to visit the city on a Long Line trip.

The next comment and coffee came from Rusty. “Glad I stumbled onto your blog! Something has always fascinated me about wireless towers and communications,” he continued, “especially the seeming ‘mystery’ behind what they may be broadcasting or repeating. Thanks!” 

One of the things I love most about blogging is connecting with people who share my interests. I knew my Long Line posts had a small audience, but knowing that Bessie and Rusty are reading makes it all worthwhile. This past Labor Day, my mom and I found six in the southeastern corner of the state. Together, we’re all piecing together the stories of the towers that once linked our cities and towns. I couldn’t be happier!