DirectLink Logo

120 Year Anniversary

Part 2: 1960s - Present

DirectLink is 120 years old! We want to take you through the history of DirectLink and how Canby Telephone Association and Mt. Angel Telephone evolved over the years and eventually came together. Decade by decade.

Click here for part 1 (1900-1950s)

1960 - 1969
Young woman from the 60s sitting in a vintage ball chair. Credit: iStock.

US Landline Adoption 1960

78.5%
1960 Phone Image

Coming out of the 1950s, the DirectLink cooperative served 1,898 members with direct dial telephone service throughout the exchange. This now included Extended Area Service (EAS) routes to Woodburn, Molalla, Aurora, Monitor, and Colton. Demand for telephone service continued to climb steadily – 78% of U.S. households had a telephone in 1960, up from 62% in 1950.

While small independent or cooperative companies like DirectLink served rural areas, AT&T’s Bell telephone operations covered bigger cities like Portland and their surrounding suburban neighborhoods. In 1961, Oregon and Washington Bell telephone operations merged to create Pacific Northwest Bell. They had 300,000 subscribers in Portland by 1964 and over 600,000 throughout the state.

Oregon Fun Facts of the 1960s:

Roseburg Oregon 1960

1960: U.S. census counts 1,768,687 Oregon residents.

Terry Baker 1962

1962: Terry Baker is Oregon’s 1st Heisman Trophy winner.

Suburbia Art
Suburbia, art by Carl Evers.

More and more people began moving to the suburbs with the rise of the automobile and expanding road systems. Smaller telephone companies once again faced increased demand for their services with this new influx of people. Some struggled to update their aging systems, many of which still included party lines. DirectLink, however, worked hard to adopt new technologies to provide the best service possible.

Expecting the unexpected is always good business practice, but nobody could have predicted the damage from the Columbus Day Storm of 1962. On October 12, an extreme storm hit the West Coast with the force of a Category 3 hurricane. It ended up being the most destructive and costly storm in Oregon history. 80 percent of all DirectLink members were without service for weeks – historical documents show that most were reconnected by November 2 thanks to round-the-clock work by local crews.

Fun Facts of the 1960s:

Voting Rights Act 1965

1965: Congress passes the Voting Rights Act.

Oregon Beach Bill 1967

1967: Beach Bill is approved, ensuring public access to all of Oregon’s coastal beaches.

Switchboard Operators
1960s Computer Office. Credit: Library of Congress

People and businesses recovered, and improvements continued. 1968 saw the conversion to automatic number identification (ANI), which meant that operators no longer needed to manually ask for phone numbers on long distance calls. By the end of the 1960s, over 90% of all U.S. households had a telephone at home.

Carterfone

The development of computers and other technology continued with rapid innovation. In 1966, the Carterfone was introduced – it acoustically connected two-way radios to the telephone network, allowing someone on the radio to talk to someone on the phone. This invention helped pave the way for future devices to use the telephone network, like answering machines, fax machines, and modems.

Fun Fact of the 1960s:

Dwight D. Eisenhower

1969: Department of Environmental Quality is created.

1970 - 1979
Couple in 1970s living room. Credit: Depositphotos.

US Landline Adoption 1970

87%
1970 Phone Image

The telephone industry was booming coming into the 1970s for both provider companies and subscribers – more than 90% of all U.S. households had a telephone at home with affordable local and long-distance rates. Advances in technology combined with Universal Service Funds from the FCC allowed the cost of monthly residential phone service to decrease by more than 50% since 1940, relative to other consumer prices.

Oregon Fun Facts of the 1970s:

Portland Oregon 1970

1970: U.S. census counts 2,091,000 Oregon residents.

Bottle Deposit

1971: Bottle and can deposit program approved.

Baumans
Ivo Bauman (right) and his son Tom pose for a photo outside of the Mt. Angel Telephone building in 1981. Tom currently serves on the DirectLink Board of Directors.

Heading into the 1970s, three generations of Baumans all worked at DirectLink (then Mt. Angel Telephone) when Ivo’s son, Tom, joined the company in 1972 after serving four years in the Air Force. Tom eventually became general manager in 1983, and he continues to serve the community to this day as a member of the DirectLink Board of Directors.

Longtime general manager John “Mr. Telephone” Bauman relinquished management to his son, Ivo, in 1964 but stayed on as secretary until 1975 when he was 90 years old. Mr. Telephone dedicated 50 years of his life to the local telephone company, overseeing its advancement through multiple technologically innovative periods and ensuring its continued success.

Fun Facts of the 1970s:

Pong

1972: Pong is released on the Atari home game console.

Tillamook State Forest

1973: Tillamook State Forest is created.

Underground Wires
Close-up of electric cables on the ground in a construction site. Credit iStockphoto.com.

DirectLink has always been dedicated to providing the best service with thoughtfully planned infrastructure. Aerial cables strung along poles sometimes face challenges from weather events that can cause damage and service outages, so DirectLink began a concerted effort toward burying cables underground.

In 1976, the company received several loans from federal programs established by the New Deal back in the 1930s to do just that. DirectLink received funding totaling just over $6.4 million from the Rural Electrification Act (REA) and the Rural Telephone Bank (RTB) to benefit 6,445 subscribers with 437 miles of buried telephone wires. DirectLink became one of the first companies in the northwestern United States to place the majority of its facilities underground.

Oregon Fun Facts of the 1970s:

OHSU

1974: Oregon Health Sciences University is formed.

Apple

1976: Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak form Apple.

Computer
Home computer systems and computer store. Credit Library of Congress.

The company also became the first in the country to offer a fully digital-to-digital toll route as analog technology became less commonplace. Folks soon began enjoying call forwarding, call waiting, speed dialing, and 3-way calling. By the end of the 1970s, more than 92% of all households in the country had a telephone.

But the telephone wasn’t alone in this era of technological innovation – computer technology was also advancing rapidly. In 1971, a team of engineers from IBM invented the ‘floppy disc,’ enabling data to be shared between computer systems. Floppy discs could hold just over one megabyte of data, a tiny drop in the bucket compared to today’s USB thumb drives and cloud storage solutions that can store terabytes of information. The computer revolution was right around the corner.

Oregon Fun Facts of the 1970s:

Blazers

1977: Portland Trail Blazers win the NBA Championship.

1980 - 1989
Woman in 1980's fashion with old fashioned phone. iStock.com.

US Landline Adoption 1980

92.5%
1980 Phone Image

The 1980s were an action-packed, innovative decade for the telecommunications industry, both locally and nationally. Canby Telephone Association (DirectLink) had 36 employees and served 6,297 members, over 90% of which were on single-party lines (which meant no neighbors or family members listening in on phone calls). And in 1983, 9-1-1 service was placed into effect for Canby.

Oregon Fun Facts of the 1980s:

Portland Oregon 1980s

1980: U.S. census counts 2,633,000 Oregon residents.

Retro TV
Children Watching TV in Cozy Retro Living Room. iStock.com.

The company wanted to expand its product lineup to include cable television. DirectLink was one of the first small independent or cooperative companies in the United States to successfully receive the then-required certificate of compliance from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Several Canbyites traveled to Washington, D.C. to advocate for DirectLink, including current Board Chair Roger Reif. After the certificate was granted, DirectLink received a low-interest loan from the Rural Electrification Act (REA) to build out the needed cable TV infrastructure.

Oregon Fun Facts of the 1980s:

Mt. St. Helens Eruption

1980: Mount Saint Helens erupts.

Radio Shack
Radio Shack late 80s/early 90s. flickr.com.

To further diversify service offerings in the wake of continued technological advancements, in 1983, the company began offering equipment and components. DirectLink began to sell telephones, key and card lock systems, burglar and fire alarms, and PBX phone systems (Private Branch Exchange) for local businesses.

Near the end of the 80s, the company partnered with Radio Shack to open a local franchise (stay tuned for more info next month).

Fun Facts of the 1980s:

Sony Compact Disc

1980: Compact Discs (CDs) start being sold in record stores.

Robert Allen
Robert E. Allen President of AT&T between 1986 and 1988. nytimes.com.

Nationwide changes were underway that would permanently change the landscape of the telecommunications industry. American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T) had become one of the largest corporations in the world since the invention of the telephone.

Originally called the American Bell Telephone Company in an ode to Alexander Graham Bell, AT&T became the parent company of the research and development arm (Bell Labs), telegraph communications (Western Union), manufacturing (Western Electric), and of course long-distance telephone calling.

By the mid-70s, AT&T’s long-distance system was used by over 90 percent of all households in the U.S. AT&T was the target of several antitrust lawsuits as folks claimed that their monopoly on the long-distance and telephone equipment industries was stifling innovation.

Oregon Fun Facts of the 1980s:

Oregon Lottery

1984: First Oregon lottery is ratified by voters.

Capital Building 1982
An 1982 aerial view of the United States Capitol Building. archives.gov.

AT&T was the target of several antitrust lawsuits as folks claimed that their monopoly on the long-distance and telephone equipment industries was stifling innovation.

Oregon Senator Bob Packwood, the Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee at the time, proposed sweeping legislation that would allow AT&T to remain as a “dominant carrier” while allowing competition to enter the market.

Fun Facts of the 1980s:

Windows 1.01

1985: Microsoft releases the Windows operating system.

Telecom 1980s
Telecom 1983, Geneva: The Exhibition. itu.int.

The bill passed the Senate 90-4 but did not make it through the House of Representatives. After years of antitrust litigation, AT&T agreed to a Justice Department proposal to break up into seven smaller regional companies known as “Baby Bells” in 1982.

One of these companies was the Denver-based US West, which eventually became Qwest and is now CenturyLink. This breakup of the AT&T corporation essentially allowed innovation to flourish, until wireless cellular technology started to replace landline telephones.

Oregon Fun Facts of the 1980s:

Portland Max Light Rail

1986: MAX begins light-rail train service in Portland.

1990 - 1999
Colorful retro background: Credit iStock.com.

US Landline Adoption 1990

93.5%
1990 Phone Image

By 1990, the population of Canby had reached 8,983 residents, and Mt. Angel’s population had grown to 2,876 residents, as the agricultural industry continued to thrive. Throughout this decade, landline telephone usage held steady as around 94% of all U.S. households had a telephone connection at home.

Significant events/facts from this decade:

Portland Oregon 1990s

1990: U.S. census counts 2,842,000 Oregon residents.

Retro TV
Close Up Shot Of Old Desktop Computer. iStock.com.

Innovation continued to flourish, and a new and exciting connection technology would soon be available for public use: the World Wide Web. Created by Tim Berners-Lee in 1991, the Web used a format called Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML), which allowed text and media objects to be easily displayed on-screen without downloading them to the computer each time.

Just a few years later in 1993, the first internet browser software – Mosaic – was introduced by Mark Andreessen. It enabled a smoother use of images and graphics online, opening up a new realm of possibilities for users.

Significant events/facts from this decade:

Hubble Telescope

1990: Hubble Space Telescope is launched.

1990s Firetruck

1990: DirectLink donates enhanced 9-1-1 system for use by the City of Canby Police and Fire & Rescue.

90s Computer Lab
90s School Computer Lab. Library of Congress.

In Canby and Mt. Angel, the local cooperative telephone companies were gearing up to provide internet connectivity service to its members. This initial technology was known as dial-up internet service. It used existing telephone infrastructure to access the World Wide Web by taking the digital signal from a computer and sent over telephone lines.

Since dial-up service used the same lines as the telephone connection to a home, subscribers were unable to make or receive phone calls while a computer was connected online. Who remembers the days of shouting to a family member to get off the phone because they needed to check their email?

Significant events/facts from this decade:

Tim Berners-Lee

1991: Tim Berners-Lee invents the World Wide Web.

Mail Vote

1993: First statewide vote-by-mail election in the U.S. is held in Oregon.

Canby Campus
Canby Telephone (DirectLink) Campus 1990. DirectLink.

DirectLink launched dial-up internet service in Canby for public use in 1996 thanks to the hard work of several very committed staff, including visionary company President Eugene “Larry” Cole and current Director of Data Operations, Gene de Vore.

Larry Cole

Larry was especially adept at navigating ever-changing government regulations, which were often complex. At the time, it was a bit difficult to provide both phone and internet service since Universal Service Funds only covered telephone, making it much more expensive to use existing telephone lines for internet access.

Significant events/facts from this decade:

Amazon

1994: Jeff Bezos launches Amazon.com.

Google Founders

1998: Google is founded by Sergey Brin and Larry Page.

Canby Campus
Canby Telephone and Radio Shack Sign. iStock.com.
Gene de Vore

Gene has served the community since he was first hired in 1990 to work at the company’s franchised Radio Shack – it was located at 185 SE 1st Avenue, now a DirectLink administrative building. Gene was a curious and dedicated, often assembling custom stereos, rewiring phone systems, or providing late-night phone support to members who were new to internet service.

DirectLink began searching for ways to benefit the community as the internet’s popularity grew. Shortly after launching the service, DirectLink donated free internet to the Canby Public Library and worked to connect local schools.

By the end of the 1990s, the number of internet users worldwide reached over 150 million.

Significant events/facts from this decade:

Rich Ares

1998: Richard Ares becomes President of DirectLink.

Thanks for Reading

Come back next month to see more of DirectLink's history. We'll be adding more segments every month, decade by decade.

References and Sources

Mt. Angel Historical Society

Library of Congress

Our World in Data

CanbyFirst.com

Wikipedia

The Slow Road to Rapid Communications, 1843–2009.pdf

1960s – 1990s: Internet | Imagining the Internet | Elon University

Music

"In The Saloon" by PianoAmor from Pixabay

"Hyperfun" Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.

"Poppers and Prosecco" Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.

"On Hold for You" Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.

"Lazy Bones Cheesy Jazz" by Geoff Harvey from Pixabay

"Ghost 50s Track" by James Milor from Pixabay

"British Invasion" by Vasileios Ziogas from Pixabay

"70's Music - Take Me Back" Music by Tech Oasis from Pixabay

"80s Retrowave" Music by Evgeny Bardyuzha from Pixabay

"1990s Garage Rock" - Music by Jerome Chauvel from Pixabay

Play music from this decade.

"British Invasion" by Vasileios Ziogas from Pixabay

"70's Music - Take Me Back" Music by Tech Oasis from Pixabay

"80s Retrowave" Music by Evgeny Bardyuzha from Pixabay

"1990s Garage Rock" - Music by Jerome Chauvel from Pixabay

DirectLink Logo

120 Year Anniversary

Part 2: 1960s - Present

DirectLink is 120 years old! We want to take you through the history of DirectLink and how Canby Telephone Association and Mt. Angel Telephone Company evolved over the years and eventually came together. Decade by decade.

Skip to Decade:

1960 1970 1980 1990

Click here for part 1 (1900-1950s)

Slide #01: Young woman from the 60s sitting in a vintage ball chair. iStock.

Coming out of the 1950s, the DirectLink cooperative served 1,898 members with direct dial telephone service throughout the exchange. This now included Extended Area Service (EAS) routes to Woodburn, Molalla, Aurora, Monitor, and Colton. Demand for telephone service continued to climb steadily – 78% of U.S. households had a telephone in 1960, up from 62% in 1950.

While small independent or cooperative companies like DirectLink served rural areas, AT&T’s Bell telephone operations covered bigger cities like Portland and their surrounding suburban neighborhoods. In 1961, Oregon and Washington Bell telephone operations merged to create Pacific Northwest Bell. They had 300,000 subscribers in Portland by 1964 and over 600,000 throughout the state.

Oregon Fun Facts of the 1960s

1960: U.S. census counts 1,768,687 Oregon residents.

1962: Terry Baker is Oregon’s 1st Heisman Trophy winner.

Slide #03: Suburbia, art by Carl Evers.
Slide #04: Oregon Columbus Day Storm. Credit Seattle Municipal Archives.

More and more people began moving to the suburbs with the rise of the automobile and expanding road systems. Smaller telephone companies once again faced increased demand for their services with this new influx of people. Some struggled to update their aging systems, many of which still included party lines. DirectLink, however, worked hard to adopt new technologies to provide the best service possible.

Expecting the unexpected is always good business practice, but nobody could have predicted the damage from the Columbus Day Storm of 1962. On October 12, an extreme storm hit the West Coast with the force of a Category 3 hurricane. It ended up being the most destructive and costly storm in Oregon history. 80 percent of all DirectLink members were without service for weeks – historical documents show that most were reconnected by November 2 thanks to round-the-clock work by local crews.

Fun Facts of the 1960s

1965: Congress passes the Voting Rights Act.

1966: The Astoria-Megler Bridge is completed, connecting Oregon to Washington over the Columbia River.

Slide #05: 1960s Computer Office. Library of Congress

People and businesses recovered, and improvements continued. 1968 saw the conversion to automatic number identification (ANI), which meant that operators no longer needed to manually ask for phone numbers on long distance calls. By the end of the 1960s, over 90% of all U.S. households had a telephone at home.

Carterfone

The development of computers and other technology continued with rapid innovation. In 1966, the Carterfone was introduced – it acoustically connected two-way radios to the telephone network, allowing someone on the radio to talk to someone on the phone. This invention helped pave the way for future devices to use the telephone network, like answering machines, fax machines, and modems.

Fun Fact of the 1960s

1967: Beach Bill is approved, ensuring public access to all of Oregon’s coastal beaches

1969: Department of Environmental Quality is created.

Slide #05: Couple in 1970s living room. Depositphotos.

The telephone industry was booming coming into the 1970s for both provider companies and subscribers – more than 90% of all U.S. households had a telephone at home with affordable local and long-distance rates. Advances in technology combined with Universal Service Funds from the FCC allowed the cost of monthly residential phone service to decrease by more than 50% since 1940, relative to other consumer prices.

Oregon Fun Facts of the 1970s

1970: U.S. census counts 2,091,000 Oregon residents.

1971: Bottle and can deposit program approved.

Slide #06: Ivo Bauman (right) and his son Tom pose for a photo outside of the Mt. Angel Telephone building in 1981. Tom currently serves on the DirectLink Board of Directors.

Heading into the 1970s, three generations of Baumans all worked at DirectLink (then Mt. Angel Telephone) when Ivo’s son, Tom, joined the company in 1972 after serving four years in the Air Force. Tom eventually became general manager in 1983, and he continues to serve the community to this day as a member of the DirectLink Board of Directors.

Longtime general manager John “Mr. Telephone” Bauman relinquished management to his son, Ivo, in 1964 but stayed on as secretary until 1975 when he was 90 years old. Mr. Telephone dedicated 50 years of his life to the local telephone company, overseeing its advancement through multiple technologically innovative periods and ensuring its continued success.

Oregon Fun Facts of the 1970s

1972: Pong is released on the Atari home game console.

1973: Tillamook State Forest is created.

Slide #07: Close-up of electric cables on the ground in a construction site. Credit iStockphoto.com.

DirectLink has always been dedicated to providing the best service with thoughtfully planned infrastructure. Aerial cables strung along poles sometimes face challenges from weather events that can cause damage and service outages, so DirectLink began a concerted effort toward burying cables underground.

In 1976, the company received several loans from federal programs established by the New Deal back in the 1930s to do just that. DirectLink received funding totaling just over $6.4 million from the Rural Electrification Act (REA) and the Rural Telephone Bank (RTB) to benefit 6,445 subscribers with 437 miles of buried telephone wires. DirectLink became one of the first companies in the northwestern United States to place the majority of its facilities underground.

Oregon Fun Facts of the 1970s

1974: Oregon Health Sciences University is formed.

1976: Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak form Apple.

Slide #08: Home computer systems and computer store. Credit Library of Congress.

The company also became the first in the country to offer a fully digital-to-digital toll route as analog technology became less commonplace. Folks soon began enjoying call forwarding, call waiting, speed dialing, and 3-way calling. By the end of the 1970s, more than 92% of all households in the country had a telephone.

But the telephone wasn’t alone in this era of technological innovation – computer technology was also advancing rapidly. In 1971, a team of engineers from IBM invented the ‘floppy disc,’ enabling data to be shared between computer systems. Floppy discs could hold just over one megabyte of data, a tiny drop in the bucket compared to today’s USB thumb drives and cloud storage solutions that can store terabytes of information. The computer revolution was right around the corner.

Oregon Fun Facts of the 1970s

1977: Portland Trail Blazers win the NBA Championship.

Slide #9: Woman in 1980's fashion with old fashioned phone. iStock.com.

The 1980s were an action-packed, innovative decade for the telecommunications industry, both locally and nationally. Canby Telephone Association (DirectLink) had 36 employees and served 6,297 members, over 90% of which were on single-party lines (which meant no neighbors or family members listening in on phone calls). And in 1983, 9-1-1 service was placed into effect for Canby.

Oregon Fun Facts of the 1980s

1980: U.S. census counts 2,633,000 Oregon residents.

Slide #10: Children Watching TV in Cozy Retro Living Room. iStock.com.

The company wanted to expand its product lineup to include cable television. DirectLink was one of the first small independent or cooperative companies in the United States to successfully receive the then-required certificate of compliance from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Several Canbyites traveled to Washington, D.C. to advocate for DirectLink, including current Board Chair Roger Reif. After the certificate was granted, DirectLink received a low-interest loan from the Rural Electrification Act (REA) to build out the needed cable TV infrastructure.

Oregon Fun Facts of the 1980s

1980: Mount Saint Helens erupts.

Slide #11: Radio Shack late 80s/early 90s. flickr.com.

To further diversify service offerings in the wake of continued technological advancements, in 1983, the company began offering equipment and components. DirectLink began to sell telephones, key and card lock systems, burglar and fire alarms, and PBX phone systems (Private Branch Exchange) for local businesses.

Near the end of the 80s, the company partnered with Radio Shack to open a local franchise (stay tuned for more info next month).

Fun Facts of the 1980s

1980: Compact Discs (CDs) start being sold in record stores.

Slide #12: Robert E. Allen President of AT&T between 1986 and 1988. nytimes.com.

Nationwide changes were underway that would permanently change the landscape of the telecommunications industry. American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T) had become one of the largest corporations in the world since the invention of the telephone.

Originally called the American Bell Telephone Company in an ode to Alexander Graham Bell, AT&T became the parent company of the research and development arm (Bell Labs), telegraph communications (Western Union), manufacturing (Western Electric), and of course long-distance telephone calling.

By the mid-70s, AT&T’s long-distance system was used by over 90 percent of all households in the U.S. AT&T was the target of several antitrust lawsuits as folks claimed that their monopoly on the long-distance and telephone equipment industries was stifling innovation.

Oregon Fun Facts of the 1980s

1984: First Oregon lottery is ratified by voters.

Slide #13: An 1982 aerial view of the United States Capitol Building. archives.gov.

AT&T was the target of several antitrust lawsuits as folks claimed that their monopoly on the long-distance and telephone equipment industries was stifling innovation.

Oregon Senator Bob Packwood, the Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee at the time, proposed sweeping legislation that would allow AT&T to remain as a “dominant carrier” while allowing competition to enter the market.

Oregon Fun Facts of the 1980s

1985: Microsoft releases the Windows operating system.

Slide #14: Telecom 1983, Geneva: The Exhibition. itu.int.

The bill passed the Senate 90-4 but did not make it through the House of Representatives. After years of antitrust litigation, AT&T agreed to a Justice Department proposal to break up into seven smaller regional companies known as “Baby Bells” in 1982.

One of these companies was the Denver-based US West, which eventually became Qwest and is now CenturyLink. This breakup of the AT&T corporation essentially allowed innovation to flourish, until wireless cellular technology started to replace landline telephones.

Oregon Fun Facts of the 1980s

1986: MAX begins light-rail train service in Portland.

Slide #15: Colorful retro background: Credit iStock.com.

By 1990, the population of Canby had reached 8,983 residents, and Mt. Angel’s population had grown to 2,876 residents, as the agricultural industry continued to thrive. Throughout this decade, landline telephone usage held steady as around 94% of all U.S. households had a telephone connection at home.

Significant events/facts from this decade:

1990: U.S. census counts 2,842,000 Oregon residents.

Slide #16: Close Up Shot Of Old Desktop Computer. iStock.com.

Innovation continued to flourish, and a new and exciting connection technology would soon be available for public use: the World Wide Web. Created by Tim Berners-Lee in 1991, the Web used a format called Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML), which allowed text and media objects to be easily displayed on-screen without downloading them to the computer each time.

Just a few years later in 1993, the first internet browser software – Mosaic – was introduced by Mark Andreessen. It enabled a smoother use of images and graphics online, opening up a new realm of possibilities for users.

Significant events/facts from this decade:

1990: Hubble Space Telescope is launched.

1990: DirectLink donates enhanced 9-1-1 system for use by the City of Canby Police and Fire & Rescue.

Slide #17: 90s School Computer Lab. Library of Congress.

In Canby and Mt. Angel, the local cooperative telephone companies were gearing up to provide internet connectivity service to its members. This initial technology was known as dial-up internet service. It used existing telephone infrastructure to access the World Wide Web by taking the digital signal from a computer and sent over telephone lines.

Since dial-up service used the same lines as the telephone connection to a home, subscribers were unable to make or receive phone calls while a computer was connected online. Who remembers the days of shouting to a family member to get off the phone because they needed to check their email?

Significant events/facts from this decade:

1991: Tim Berners-Lee invents the World Wide Web

1993: First statewide vote-by-mail election in the U.S. is held in Oregon.

Slide #18: Canby Telephone (DirectLink) Campus 1990. DirectLink.

DirectLink launched dial-up internet service in Canby for public use in 1996 thanks to the hard work of several very committed staff, including visionary company President Eugene “Larry” Cole and current Director of Data Operations, Gene de Vore.

Larry Cole

Larry was especially adept at navigating ever-changing government regulations, which were often complex. At the time, it was a bit difficult to provide both phone and internet service since Universal Service Funds only covered telephone, making it much more expensive to use existing telephone lines for internet access.

Significant events/facts from this decade:

1994: Jeff Bezos launches Amazon.com.

1998: Google is founded by Sergey Brin and Larry Page.

Slide #19: Canby Telephone and Radio Shack Sign. iStock.com.
Gene de Vore

Gene has served the community since he was first hired in 1990 to work at the company’s franchised Radio Shack – it was located at 185 SE 1st Avenue, now a DirectLink administrative building. Gene was a curious and dedicated, often assembling custom stereos, rewiring phone systems, or providing late-night phone support to members who were new to internet service.

DirectLink began searching for ways to benefit the community as the internet’s popularity grew. Shortly after launching the service, DirectLink donated free internet to the Canby Public Library and worked to connect local schools.

By the end of the 1990s, the number of internet users worldwide reached over 150 million.

Significant events/facts from this decade:

1998: Richard Ares becomes President of DirectLink.

DirectLink

Thanks for reading!

Come back next month to see more of DirectLink's history. We'll be adding more segments every month, decade by decade.

References and Sources

Mt. Angel Historical Society

Library of Congress

Our World in Data

CanbyFirst.com

Wikipedia

The Slow Road to Rapid Communications, 1843–2009.pdf

1960s – 1990s: Internet | Imagining the Internet | Elon University

Music

"In The Saloon" by PianoAmor from Pixabay

"Hyperfun" Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.

"Poppers and Prosecco" Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.

"On Hold for You" Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.

"Lazy Bones Cheesy Jazz" by Geoff Harvey from Pixabay

"Ghost 50s Track" by James Milor from Pixabay

"British Invasion" by Vasileios Ziogas from Pixabay

"70's Music - Take Me Back" Music by Tech Oasis from Pixabay

"80s Retrowave" Music by Evgeny Bardyuzha from Pixabay

"1990s Garage Rock" - Music by Jerome Chauvel from Pixabay

DirectLink
1960 - 1969
1970 - 1979
1980 - 1989
1990 - 1999
US Landline Adoption Rate
1960
79%
1961
79%
1962
80%
1963
81%
1964
82%
1965
85%
1966
86%
1967
87%
1968
89%
1969
90%
1970
87%
1971
88%
1972
88%
1973
89%
1974
90%
1975
90%
1976
91%
1977
91%
1978
92%
1979
92%
1980
93%
1981
93%
1982
93%
1983
92%
1984
92%
1985
92%
1986
93%
1987
93%
1988
93%
1989
93%
1990
94%
1991
94%
1992
94%
1993
94%
1994
94%
1995
94%
1996
94%
1997
94%
1998
94%
1999
94%
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