There is Still at Least One Working Payphone in Western Colorado
With the proliferation of cell phones, the old-fashioned payphone is well on its way to extinction. So, when I saw a working payphone recently, it took me by surprise.
This payphone is outside of a combination convenience store and fast food restaurant in north Montrose where my family had stopped for dinner before heading back to Grand Junction.
Later, after getting over the awe of finding such a rarity, I figured if there was one working payphone, there must be others. Finding a reliable easy to use payphone list with locations proved to be a real challenge.
One resource is The Payphone Project which has an extensive database of payphone numbers. A Google search of payphones in a particular town will bring up websites that can be used to find locations.
A search of both Montrose and Grand Junction came up with directories that were less than accurate, so don't bet your pocket change on a payphone being where they say it is.
A CityLab article from 2014 said in the US, 90 percent of the adult population owns a cell phone, practically eliminating the need for pay phones.
While most payphones have been mothballed, there are still places where usage is high enough a payphone company can make a profit.
Payphones can often be less expensive than cell phones for international calls, which is one of the reasons airports and other public buildings still have them.
If you know where a working payphone is in Western Colorado, then put the location(s) in the comment section below and we'll compile a list of where these telephone dinosaurs can be found.