Pic Of The Day #2178

Two pay phones remain in Westport. One is at the Merritt Parkway Exit 42 parking lot. This is near the Sherwood Diner. Photographer Mark Mathias says: “Hiding in plain sight. No dial tone, but there’s a wire going to a utility pole, so it might work if I put a quarter in it.” 

7 responses to “Pic Of The Day #2178

  1. Tom Duquette, SHS '75

    Phone? How could watch TikTok videos on this? I’m sure some younger folks would wonder how we survived back then.

  2. Sharon Paulsen

    Wait … shouldn’t this be an EV charging station at this point! 😉 But, jokes aside … just seeing this existing in the landscape is just soooo “Back to the Future” trippy!

    Plus, can one just IMAGINE the germs we all shared, using those phones back then? I guess post-pandemic (ish) has me thinking a whole new way about … well, EVERYTHING! LOL

  3. Jack Backiel

    Around 1991, an attorney friend of mine, who grew up in Westport, suggested to me that we buy the pay phones in Grand Central Station in Manhattan. We crunched the numbers, talked about it, but did nothing. If I did that, I would be cleaning the toilets in Grand Central Station to make up for my massive losses!

  4. I believe the one at exit 42 of the Merritt does not contain a phone

  5. Arlene Avellanet

    Went looking for a payphone in Westport 13 years ago. At the time there was this one and one in McDonalds. Neither one worked back then, don’t that they work now.

  6. charles taylor

    “ Mama I broke down can you come and get me”!!!

  7. Jack Backiel

    Charles, It’s Ma. When I was your age, I’d walk 7 miles in the snow to get to school. You can do it son. I’ll see you in three hours. And take off your shoes before you come in the house.