In honor of Morse and Vail’s first intercity telegraph message on May 24, 1844, and the connecting of Boston to Washington via New Jersey in 1846, we held a small commemoration and demonstration at the Kingston NJ Canal House and Telegraph House.
The goal was to explain the use of the small white building, built as a toll house in 1834 and adapted for a telegraph office sometime in 1846.
As part of the commemoration, we set up a Morse Code station (CW) and antenna and contacted two other Amateur Radio Stations via Morse Code.
The photo shows Don, AK2S, demonstrating telegraphy to two of the 30 people assembling for the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park “Pop-up walk” held Saturday morning. Park historian Vicki Chirco and park guide Claire Apel led the attendees to the Kingston Lock, where Charlie N2CTW shared our current knowledge of the Telegraph Office as well as basics of Morse Code using a code practice oscillator.
Don contacted two other stations, Bob, K2QPN and Rob, KE3TI. As an extra treat, Don sent a radiogram from the Kingston Telegraph Office… the first telegraph message to originate from that location in over 100 years.
-Charlie N2CTW
Here’s the Library of Congress’ material on the event:
First telegraph message, 24 May. 24 May, 1844. Manuscript/Mixed Material. https://www.loc.gov/item/mcc.019/.
Here’s an enhanced view of the tape- three styli pressed the tape with the Morse code characters…. Three styli recorded the same sequence of pulses. As you can see below, sometimes one stylus’s marks are clearer than the other styli. Vail’s handwriting is below showing the letters received.
WHAT H would be .-- .... .- - .... it can almost be seen in the image with contrast enhanced. ("What hath God wrought" is the message)