Susan Tyler; Townsquaremedia
Susan Tyler; Townsquaremedia
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When filling up my car at the Mobile on Cherry Vale Blvd (across from Lou Bachrodt), I couldn't believe my eyes. An actual pay phone! Wow!

Hmm, I wonder, how many are still around Rockford?

I can't tell you how many times I've been at this gas station and didn't notice it till now.

The funny thing is I just had a conversation with a friend about pay phones and how you never see them any more and then "Voila!" this one appears.

I got to thinking about how many pay phones are still around Rockford and our listening area.

So I did a little research and found the Pay Phone Directory showing the listing of pay phones that are still here in the U.S.

In fact, it breaks it down by state. The funny thing is only one pay phone was listed for Rockford and it wasn't even the pay phone I saw at the Mobile on Cherry Vale Blvd. It's at a Mobile on South Rock Drive.

DeKalb has the most pay phones in our area with 19 listed. Followed by:

Elgin with 7

Crystal Lake with 6

Sycamore with 3

Rockford with 1. Which I know there's more than one around.

Click here to see the complete list of Pay Phones in Illinois.

It's funny to see these. A lot of times we, even I, see them as relics but they are still needed. I know it's common for everyone to reach for a cell phone, but there are times that a landline is still needed. Especially when you're in an area with bad cell reception or none at all. that's why you'll see them at airports, bus and train stations. Also, halfway houses will have them and jails.

According to SFGate.com in 2013, there were about 300,00 pay phones around. They say that number drops by about 15% every year. That means there's roughly 165,000 pay phones left in our country.

Have you seen any pay phones recently? Where?

More importantly when was the last time you used a pay phone?

 

 

 

 

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