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Morse-Vail Telegraph Key

Object Details

Description
Alfred Vail made this key, believed to be from the first Baltimore-Washington telegraph line, as an improvement on Samuel Morse's original transmitter. Vail helped Morse develop a practical system for sending and receiving coded electrical signals over a wire, which was successfully demonstrated in 1844.
Morse's telegraph marked the arrival of instant long-distance communication in America. The revolutionary technology excited the public imagination, inspiring predictions that the telegraph would bring about economic prosperity, national unity, and even world peace.
Date made
1844
used date
1844
demonstrator
Morse, Samuel Finley Breese
Vail, Alfred
maker
Vail, Alfred
Morse, Samuel Finley Breese
Place Made
United States: New Jersey, Morristown
used
United States: Maryland, Baltimore
United States: District of Columbia, Washington
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Work and Industry: Electricity
Government, Politics, and Reform
Engineering, Building, and Architecture
Work
Communications
Computers & Business Machines
Industry & Manufacturing
American Enterprise
National Treasures exhibit
Artifact Walls exhibit
Exhibition
American Enterprise
Exhibition Location
National Museum of American History
Related Publication
Kendrick, Kathleen M. and Peter C. Liebhold. Smithsonian Treasures of American History
National Museum of American History. Treasures of American History online exhibition
Related Web Publication
https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/treasures-american-history
Credit Line
from Western Union Telegraph Co.
Data Source
National Museum of American History
ID Number
EM.181411
catalog number
181411
accession number
31652
Object Name
telegraph transmitter
telegraph key
Physical Description
wood (overall material)
brass (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 3 in x 2 in x 6 3/4 in; 7.62 cm x 5.08 cm x 17.145 cm
Record ID
nmah_1096762
Metadata Usage
CC0
GUID
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a9-46b1-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Related Object Groups

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    Electricity and Magnetism

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    Open Access Highlights

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International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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