Malheur Bell
Encyclopedia
Malheur Home Telephone Company, commonly known as Malheur Bell, was a rural telephone company operating in Oregon
. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Qwest Corporation
, the Bell Operating Company of Qwest Communications International
.
It was founded in 1895 to serve Malheur County, Oregon
(then located in Pacific Bell
territory). A controlling interest was purchased by Rocky Mountain Bell Telephone Company in 1899, in exchange for Malheur's purchase of the toll line Rocky Mountain Bell laid to connect Malheur to the rest of the telephone network. It continued to remain an independent operation of The Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company
, formed when Rocky Mountain Bell merged with several other telephone companies throughout the Rocky Mountain region.
By 1984, Mountain Bell had acquired 100% of the company interest, and Malheur continued to operate independently of Mountain Bell. It was now located within Pacific Northwest Bell
territory, which became a sister Bell Operating Company of Mountain Bell under U S WEST ownership in 1984. In 1991, U S WEST merged its operating companies into Mountain Bell, renamed U S WEST Communications; however, Malheur Bell remained independent of the rest of U S WEST operations, and continued to use the Bell trademark.
In 2000, U S WEST was acquired by Qwest
, and U S WEST Communications was renamed Qwest Corporation
. Malheur Bell, however, continued to operate independently of its parent, Qwest Corporation. However, in September 2009, Qwest
announced that it would take over the operations of Malheur Bell that December.
On December 14, 2009, Malheur Bell was merged into its corporate parent, Qwest Corporation
.
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Qwest Corporation
Qwest Corporation
Qwest Corporation is a Bell Operating Company owned by CenturyLink. It was formerly named U S WEST Communications, Inc. from 1991 to 2000, and also formerly named The Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company from 1911 to 1991...
, the Bell Operating Company of Qwest Communications International
Qwest
Qwest Communications International, Inc. was a large United States telecommunications carrier. Qwest provided local service in 14 western U.S. states: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.On April...
.
It was founded in 1895 to serve Malheur County, Oregon
Malheur County, Oregon
Malheur County is a county located in the southeast corner of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is included in the eight-county definition of Eastern Oregon. Most of the county observes the Mountain Time Zone, although the southern quarter of the county observes the Pacific Time Zone along with the...
(then located in Pacific Bell
Pacific Bell
The Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company was the name of the Bell System's telephone operations in California. It gained in size by acquiring smaller telephone companies along the Pacific coast, such as Sunset Telephone & Telegraph in 1917...
territory). A controlling interest was purchased by Rocky Mountain Bell Telephone Company in 1899, in exchange for Malheur's purchase of the toll line Rocky Mountain Bell laid to connect Malheur to the rest of the telephone network. It continued to remain an independent operation of The Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company
Qwest Corporation
Qwest Corporation is a Bell Operating Company owned by CenturyLink. It was formerly named U S WEST Communications, Inc. from 1991 to 2000, and also formerly named The Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company from 1911 to 1991...
, formed when Rocky Mountain Bell merged with several other telephone companies throughout the Rocky Mountain region.
By 1984, Mountain Bell had acquired 100% of the company interest, and Malheur continued to operate independently of Mountain Bell. It was now located within Pacific Northwest Bell
Pacific Northwest Bell
Pacific Northwest Bell Telephone Company was an AT&T majority-owned Bell System company that provided local telecommunications services in Oregon, Washington, and northern Idaho. Pacific Northwest Bell Telephone Company was formed on July 1, 1961 when it was spun off from the Pacific Telephone and...
territory, which became a sister Bell Operating Company of Mountain Bell under U S WEST ownership in 1984. In 1991, U S WEST merged its operating companies into Mountain Bell, renamed U S WEST Communications; however, Malheur Bell remained independent of the rest of U S WEST operations, and continued to use the Bell trademark.
In 2000, U S WEST was acquired by Qwest
Qwest
Qwest Communications International, Inc. was a large United States telecommunications carrier. Qwest provided local service in 14 western U.S. states: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.On April...
, and U S WEST Communications was renamed Qwest Corporation
Qwest Corporation
Qwest Corporation is a Bell Operating Company owned by CenturyLink. It was formerly named U S WEST Communications, Inc. from 1991 to 2000, and also formerly named The Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company from 1911 to 1991...
. Malheur Bell, however, continued to operate independently of its parent, Qwest Corporation. However, in September 2009, Qwest
Qwest
Qwest Communications International, Inc. was a large United States telecommunications carrier. Qwest provided local service in 14 western U.S. states: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.On April...
announced that it would take over the operations of Malheur Bell that December.
On December 14, 2009, Malheur Bell was merged into its corporate parent, Qwest Corporation
Qwest Corporation
Qwest Corporation is a Bell Operating Company owned by CenturyLink. It was formerly named U S WEST Communications, Inc. from 1991 to 2000, and also formerly named The Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company from 1911 to 1991...
.