In the spring of 1910, a new telephone company for the region was established—the California Northern Telephone & Telegraph Company. The principal figures behind the company were W.E. Hills, Scott Hendricks and A.J. Mathews. Their mission was to provide for long distance telephone service for northeastern California. On October 4, 1910 the City of Susanville granted the company a fifty-year franchise. In return the City received free phone service for the fire hall, marshal’s office and two-percent of the gross annual receipts.
In the summer and fall of 1910, company invested $30,000 to construct a telephone line from Susanville to Big Meadows (today Lake Almanor) and onward to Quincy. On September 12, 1911, the entire sysrem was completed, with hookups throughout the Honey Lake Valley. On that date, Susanville residents could call long distance anywhere in California! At the Susanville office, three operators were hired. Such operators were generally known as “hello girls.” Those initial operators were Nina Turnbaugh, Lucille Pearce and Eva Lanigar. The first two worked the day shift and the latter the night shift. Telephone operators would be referred to as “hello girls” until the advent of World War II. In 1951, the operator’s job became easier with direct dialing, when rotary dial telephones were introduced in Susanville.