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Telegraph
Though the first telegraph message was sent in America in 1844, the ability to communicate with the outside world did not come to Iceland until 1906. When the CS Cambria landed in Seyðisfjörður, Iceland, it ended almost ten centuries of global isolation. Today, at the Transportation and Communication Museum in Skógar, this telegraph equipment is cherished. Only 25 people live in the town of Skógar, which is approximately 150 km southeast of Reykjavik. The village is known for Skógafoss, the 180-foot waterfall spilling from the Skógá River, its excellent hiking trails and for the village’s Folk Museum. The Museum of Transportation and Communications is one of three museums that are part of the Folk Museum. The message being sent here says, “Hello, welcome to Skógar.” The circular ampere measure at the top is from 1930. The gray transmitter (bottom left) is from 1945-46. The device with the circular dial is a receiver from 1948.