Gilmore G. Cooke

By Alexandra Botti

In the age of iPads and smartphones, Historic Somerville is giving residents the chance to look back at one of the most pivotal technological milestones in the history of communication.

Gilmore G. Cooke, Chair of the History and Milestones Committee of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, Boston Section, will discuss the history of the telephone and its first commercial subscriber in 1877, Somerville’s own Charles Williams, at a Somerville Museum event on Sept. 23.

Second in a two-part series of lectures on Somerville’s technical milestones, the lecture entitled “Charles Williams of Somerville and the History of the Telephone” is a chance for residents to learn about this critical historical moment in the context of their own city’s past.

“Somerville has a tremendous amount of history in terms of technological innovation,” said Barbara Mangum, president of Historic Somerville, the six year old organization whose mission is to “promote an understanding and appreciation of Somerville’s diverse historic resources, to provide for their protection and to underscore their relevance to modern life.”

Somerville is a city rich in residents involved in the technology and innovation fields, making this topic a perfect fit for this community, Mangum said.

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“Charles William of Somerville and the History of the Telephone”

The Somerville Museum, One Westwood Road

September 23 from  7:00-8:00PM.

Free to members. Cost to non-members: $7.

For more information and/or to reserve a seat in advanced, contact info@historicsomerville.org or call the Somerville Museum at 617-666-9810