The hunt is on for:
The Last Elevator Operator in California
President Obama remarks about automation costing jobs made us think about vanishing occupations and a visit to Macy’s on South Lake in Pasadena reminded us that there used to be elevator operators.
There are a few signs of this vanished occupation left in the venerable art deco elevators.
The sign instructing you that it is now automatic is one, a bracket for the seat is another.
But these elevators have been self service since the 1960’s.
So I throw out these three challenges to you:
- Are there any elevator operators left in California?
- What other occupations have vanished since the 1960’s? Telephone operators are almost gone and so are gas station attendants. What else?
- Do you know the names or current whereabouts of any of the Macy’s elevator operators?
i live in Dayton ohio and know of none elavator that requires an operator, how many they employ is unknown to me a surplus store by the name of “Mendelsons” has a manul elevator locatede in their [formerly a GM factory] warehouse/store open to public are thier any more out there?
We lived in Quincy California for a few years in the early 90s and the first year the Plumas County Courthouse had an elevator operator.
Mom and I went on it and then a short time later they went automatic.
I was like 8 years old so I do not remember how much time went between manual and automatic.
Speaking of telephone operators that same time up till the late 80s had one where you dialed the operator and he/she would connect you to your call.
“Hello operator. Get me to Joe!”
There was a town near Weaverville in which til the late 80s they had a party line system and everbody would hear each other speak over the phone just by picking up the receiver and listening in. They all knew each other’s names by heart.
YOu’d know Barb the Barber or whatever.
Comments are closed.