Telegram Era Ends With a Whisper

In a classic case of blink-and-you'll-miss-it, the fact that January 27 marked the end of the telegram era almost flew under my radar. And, I suspect, most people's: Western Union only posted a brief message on its website.

My first thought was that, like mentions of Barbara Stanwyck or songs like "Open the Door, Richard," the telegram would now be one more Looney Tunes reference that kids will need explained to them. But it's more interesting to note that this is a rare example of a form of technology actually stopping dead in its tracks. Even Betamax, the poster child and occasional punchline representing obsolesence, never really died -- Sony just stopped making them, and there are many enthusiasts (including, er, me) who have one or more functioning machines that actually see semi-regular use. Another example is the vinyl record, which CDs never quite killed. You can even play an old 78-RPM disc without too much trouble if you have a few hundred dollars to spare for a turntable.

But the telegram is dead and gone, killed by ever cheaper long-distance phone calls and e-mail. While it's unlikely that most people under, say, 35 have ever sent or received a telegram, it's still worth pausing a moment to witness the end of an era.

I wonder what the message on the last telegram was?