ORIGINAL AREA CODES - UNITED STATES AND CANADA
In 1947 the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) was established and 86 original area codes were geographically assigned to states and provinces in the United States and Canada. All area codes were three digits as they are today. Area codes with a zero as the second digit were assigned to states or provinces with only one area code. Area codes with a "1" as the second digit were assigned to states with more than one area code.
From 1947 until 1951 these eight six original area codes were used exclusively by long distance operators and were not direct dialed. However, the concept of individual users being able to direct dial long distance numbers was already being developed in 1947 by AT&T through Bell Labs and the numbering plan pushed by AT&T and Bell Labs took this into account.
Area codes in highly populated states or provinces were assigned numbers which were the easiest to dial on a rotary dial telephone. As an example, the numbers in area code 212, which were assigned to the highly populated state of New York, was the easiest and fastest area code to dial due to the numbers proximity to one another on the dial. While this is still true today the modern touch tone designs have resulted in little or no time savings based on number proximity on the key pad.
It was not until the 1960s that direct dialed long distance calls came into wide spread use in the United States and Canada. Operator assisted long distance dialing, including person to person calls were still common place. As AT&T began to offer lower rates on the direct dialed calls their usage quickly increased and areas not served by direct dialing demanded it.
List of Original Area Codes
Area Code 201 - New Jersey
Area Code 202 - District of Columbia
Area Code 203 - Connecticut
Area Code 204 - Manitoba
Area Code 205 - Alabama
Area Code 206 - Washington
Area Code 207 - Maine
Area Code 208 - Idaho
Area Code 212 - New York
Area Code 213 - California
Area Code 214 - Texas
Area Code 215 - Pennsylvania
Area Code 216 - Ohio
Area Code 217 - Illinois
Area Code 218 - Minnesota
Area Code 301 - Maryland
Area Code 302 - Delaware
Area Code 303 - Colorado
Area Code 304 - West Virginia
Area Code 305 - Florida
Area Code 306 - Saskatchewan
Area Code 307 - Wyoming
Area Code 312 - Illinois
Area Code 313 - Michigan
Area Code 314 - Missouri
Area Code 315 - New York
Area Code 316 - Kansas
Area Code 317 - Indiana
Area Code 319 - Iowa
Area Code 401 - Rhode Island
Area Code 402 - Nebraska
Area Code 403 - Alberta
Area Code 404 - Georgia
Area Code 405 - Oklahoma
Area Code 406 - Montana
Area Code 412 - Pennsylvania
Area Code 413 - Massachusetts
Area Code 414 - Wisconsin
Area Code 415 - California
Area Code 416 - Ontario
Area Code 418 - Quebec
Area Code 419 - Ohio
Area Code 501 - Arkansas
Area Code 502 - Kentucky
Area Code 503 - Oregon
Area Code 504 - Louisiana
Area Code 505 - New Mexico
Area Code 512 - Texas
Area Code 513 - Ohio
Area Code 514 - Quebec
Area Code 515 - Iowa
Area Code 517 - Michigan
Area Code 518 - New York
Area Code 601 - Mississippi
Area Code 602 - Arizona
Area Code 603 - New Hampshire
Area Code 604 - British Columbia
Area Code 605 - South Dakota
Area Code 612 - Minnesota
Area Code 613 - Ontario
Area Code 614 - Ohio
Area Code 616 - Michigan
Area Code 617 - Massachusetts
Area Code 618 - Illinois
Area Code 701 - North Dakota
Area Code 702 - Nevada
Area Code 703 - Virginia
Area Code 704 - North Carolina
Area Code 712 - Iowa
Area Code 713 - Texas
Area Code 715 - Wisconsin
Area Code 716 - New York
Area Code 717 - Pennsylvania
Area Code 801 - Utah
Area Code 802 - Vermont
Area Code 803 - South Carolina
Area Code 812 - Indiana
Area Code 814 - Pennsylvania
Area Code 815 - Illinois
Area Code 816 - Missouri
Area Code 901 - Tennessee
Area Code 902 - Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick
Area Code 913 - Kansas
Area Code 914 - New York
Area Code 915 - Texas
Area Code 916 - California
From 1947 until 1951 these eight six original area codes were used exclusively by long distance operators and were not direct dialed. However, the concept of individual users being able to direct dial long distance numbers was already being developed in 1947 by AT&T through Bell Labs and the numbering plan pushed by AT&T and Bell Labs took this into account.
Area codes in highly populated states or provinces were assigned numbers which were the easiest to dial on a rotary dial telephone. As an example, the numbers in area code 212, which were assigned to the highly populated state of New York, was the easiest and fastest area code to dial due to the numbers proximity to one another on the dial. While this is still true today the modern touch tone designs have resulted in little or no time savings based on number proximity on the key pad.
It was not until the 1960s that direct dialed long distance calls came into wide spread use in the United States and Canada. Operator assisted long distance dialing, including person to person calls were still common place. As AT&T began to offer lower rates on the direct dialed calls their usage quickly increased and areas not served by direct dialing demanded it.
List of Original Area Codes
Area Code 201 - New Jersey
Area Code 202 - District of Columbia
Area Code 203 - Connecticut
Area Code 204 - Manitoba
Area Code 205 - Alabama
Area Code 206 - Washington
Area Code 207 - Maine
Area Code 208 - Idaho
Area Code 212 - New York
Area Code 213 - California
Area Code 214 - Texas
Area Code 215 - Pennsylvania
Area Code 216 - Ohio
Area Code 217 - Illinois
Area Code 218 - Minnesota
Area Code 301 - Maryland
Area Code 302 - Delaware
Area Code 303 - Colorado
Area Code 304 - West Virginia
Area Code 305 - Florida
Area Code 306 - Saskatchewan
Area Code 307 - Wyoming
Area Code 312 - Illinois
Area Code 313 - Michigan
Area Code 314 - Missouri
Area Code 315 - New York
Area Code 316 - Kansas
Area Code 317 - Indiana
Area Code 319 - Iowa
Area Code 401 - Rhode Island
Area Code 402 - Nebraska
Area Code 403 - Alberta
Area Code 404 - Georgia
Area Code 405 - Oklahoma
Area Code 406 - Montana
Area Code 412 - Pennsylvania
Area Code 413 - Massachusetts
Area Code 414 - Wisconsin
Area Code 415 - California
Area Code 416 - Ontario
Area Code 418 - Quebec
Area Code 419 - Ohio
Area Code 501 - Arkansas
Area Code 502 - Kentucky
Area Code 503 - Oregon
Area Code 504 - Louisiana
Area Code 505 - New Mexico
Area Code 512 - Texas
Area Code 513 - Ohio
Area Code 514 - Quebec
Area Code 515 - Iowa
Area Code 517 - Michigan
Area Code 518 - New York
Area Code 601 - Mississippi
Area Code 602 - Arizona
Area Code 603 - New Hampshire
Area Code 604 - British Columbia
Area Code 605 - South Dakota
Area Code 612 - Minnesota
Area Code 613 - Ontario
Area Code 614 - Ohio
Area Code 616 - Michigan
Area Code 617 - Massachusetts
Area Code 618 - Illinois
Area Code 701 - North Dakota
Area Code 702 - Nevada
Area Code 703 - Virginia
Area Code 704 - North Carolina
Area Code 712 - Iowa
Area Code 713 - Texas
Area Code 715 - Wisconsin
Area Code 716 - New York
Area Code 717 - Pennsylvania
Area Code 801 - Utah
Area Code 802 - Vermont
Area Code 803 - South Carolina
Area Code 812 - Indiana
Area Code 814 - Pennsylvania
Area Code 815 - Illinois
Area Code 816 - Missouri
Area Code 901 - Tennessee
Area Code 902 - Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick
Area Code 913 - Kansas
Area Code 914 - New York
Area Code 915 - Texas
Area Code 916 - California