What Happened to New York’s Lost Payphones?

For most of the 20th century, New York City rang with the sound of conversation. More than 200,000 public telephones once lined its streets — lifelines through blackouts, blizzards, and everyday life. From Wall Street to Harlem, these glass boxes were where business deals began, lovers whispered, and history unfolded.

But over time, progress caught up. From the invention of the coin-operated phone to the arrival of cell networks and LinkNYC kiosks, the city’s payphones slowly disappeared. This episode uncovers how New York’s phone booths became icons of connection, symbols of privacy, and ultimately, relics of a world before smartphones.

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