'TELEPHONE HILL - City and Borough of Juneau

TELEPHONE HILL EDWARD WEBSTER HOUSE
In 1893 business partners Webster and Bach constructed a two-telephone
system across the channel to provide better communication between their
residences. The system worked so well that the Treadwell Gold Mining Camp-any
connected to the line. When other residents desired phone service, Webster and
Bach formed the Juneau and Douglas Telephone Company, By the late 1890s the
partnership dissolved, and Webster assumed full ownership.
Prior to 1915 the phone company's central exchange was located at several
downtown locations. But.. the area '.s economic and population growth necessitated
additional phone service. The increased demand required a larger switchboard
and business office. - In 1915 an addition was constructed on the rear of
Webster's Court House Hill home to accommodate the expanding phone company
(Bayers Collection 1915; Hurley 1983). The portion of the hill south of Third
Street became known as.Telephone Hill.
After Webster's death in 1918, his wife, Anna, assumed control of the
company until her death in 1957. The following year the company moved to a new
location on Main Street. The Webster-Hurley family operated the utility until
it became a member of the Continental Telephone Company in 1968 (DeArmond 1967;
Hurley, Carrigan 1983).
Originally a two-story, hip-roofed, Classic Box dwelling with an open
porch, the Webster House has undergone numerous modifications. A balustraded
deck (lookout platform) on the peak of the roof was removed. The one-story,
north facade "shed" addition was constructed circa 1890. The main two-story
section of the house was extended to its current 52'x20 ldimensions between 1900
and 1910. An enclosed porch was added on the north facade in the late 1930s.
The one-story, 16'x47' west addition housing the phone company was
constructed in two stages. Local carpenter Pete Johnson built the hip-roofed
south section in 1915 (Bayers Collection 1915). Contractor James Larson added
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