New Orleans Telephone Exchanges Through the Years
Originally, New Orleans telephone exchange names were chosen to reflect a specific locality (e.g., GAlvez [Street]) or part of town where the exchange was located (e.g., BYwater). Later, the phone company compiled a list of exchange names that were unlikely to be mispronounced (e.g., TYler; WAlnut). In the late 1950s, telephone numbers were expanded to seven digits in order to fit into the long distance direct dialing system then being instituted. The use of exchange names was discontinued nationally in the mid-1960s in order to provide a greater number of prefixes.
This list was adapted from a list compiled by David Grant, 1978.
The following exchanges were used with four digits (example: CAnal 5555):
| Exchange | Area Used | Years Used | Converted to |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALgiers | West Bank | 1906 | 1955 to FOrest 1 & 6 |
| AMherst | Lakeview/Midcity | 1947 | 1959 to HUnter 6 |
| AUdubon | Lakeview/Midcity | 1928-1933; reinstated 1936 | 1959 to HUnter 8 |
| BYwater | Downtown | 1942 | 1957 to WHitehall 9 |
| CAnal | CBD | 1941 | 1959 to JAckson 2 |
| CEdar | Metairie | 1941 | 1959 5o JAckson 2 |
| CHestnut | Uptown/West Bank | 1941 | 1955 to TWinbrook |
| CRescent | Downtown | 1928 | 1957 to WHitehall 7 |
| EDison | West Bank | 1951 | 1955 to FIllmore 1 |
| EVergreen | Gentilly | 1952 | 1960 to ATwood 8 |
| EXpress | CBD | 1952 | 1960 to JAckson 9 |
| FAirview | Gentilly | 1952 | 1960 to ATwood 2 |
| FRanklin | Gentilly | 1927 | 1957 to WHitehall 5 |
| GAlvez | Lakeview/Midcity | 1911 | 1959 to HUnter 2 |
| HEmlock | Downtown | 1906 | 1927 to FRanklin, plus four digits |
| JAckson | Uptown/West Bank | 1909 | 1956 to TWinbrook 5 |
| MAgnolia | CBD | 1938 | 1960 to JAckson 3 |
| MAin | CBD | 1879 | 1937 to MAgnolia, plus four digits |
| OFficial | CBD (used by telephone company) | before 1935 | 1958 to LAfayette 9 |
| RAymond | CBD | 1928 | 1957 to JAckson 5 |
| TEmple | Metairie | 1947 | 1955 to VErnon 3 |
| TUlane | CBD | 1948 | 1961 to JAckson 4 |
| TYler | Uptown/West Bank | 1949 | 1955 to TWinbrook 9 |
| UNiversity | Carrollton/West Bank | 1948 | 1956 to UNiversity 6 |
| UPtown | Uptown/West Bank | 1903 | 1956 to TWinbrook 7 |
| VAlley | Downtown | 1947 | 1957 to WHitehall 3 |
| VIctor | Downtown | 1948 | 1957 to WHitehall 4 |
| WAlnut | Carrollton/West Bank | 1910 | 1956 to UNiversity 1 & 5 |
The following exchanges were used with five digits (example: WHitehall 0-1234):
| Exchange | Area Used | Years Used | Converted to |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARabi 1, 9 | St. Bernard | 1961-1962 | 271, 279 |
| ATwood 1, 8 | Gentilly | 1960-1962 | 282, 288 |
| CHestnut 2 | N.O. East | 1960-1965 | 242 |
| EDgewood 1 | St. Bernard | 1956-1962 | 271 |
| FIllmore 1, 7 | West Bank | 1955-1962 | 341, 347 |
| FOrest 1, 2, 6, 7 | West Bank | 1955-1962 | 361, 362, 366, 367 |
| HUnter 2, 6, 8 | Lakeview/Midcity | 1959-1962 | 482, 486, 488 |
| JAckson 2, 3, 4, 5, 9 | CBD | 1957-1965 | 522, 523, 524, 525, 529 |
| LAfayette 9 | CBD (used by telephone company) | 1958 | 529 |
| PArk 1, 9 | Kenner | 1960-1962 | 721, 729 |
| TWinbrook 1, 5, 7, 9 | Uptown | 1956-1965 | 891, 895, 897, 899 |
| UNiversity 1, 5, 6 | Carrollton | 1956-1965 | 861, 865, 866 |
| VErnon 1, 3, 4, 5 | Metairie | 1956-1965 | 831, 833, 834, 835 |
| WHitehall 0, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9 | Downtown | 1957-1965 | 940, 943, 944, 945, 947, 949 |
The text used in this post previously appeared as part of Fact Finders. Reformatted and edited by Amy DeNisco in 2023.