13 Obsolete Public Services That Used to Be Everywhere
Once vital to daily life, these 13 vanished public services reveal a forgotten world of human connection, quirky rituals, and the steady march of progress.
- Alyana Aguja
- 4 min read
Prior to smartphones, digital automation, and contemporary conveniences, daily life was based on a variety of now-outmoded public services that influenced how individuals communicated, traveled, and managed basic needs. From telegram messengers and lamplighters to milkmen and elevator operators, these jobs were once ubiquitous features of communities worldwide. Investigating these lost services provides an intriguing glimpse into a slower, more sensual past and how quickly technology can change the way we live.
1. Telegram Services
Image from NBC News
Prior to the Internet and texting, telegrams were the quickest method for sending critical messages across vast distances. Delivered by messengers in uniforms, they were used for everything from war reports to wedding invitations. Email and instant messaging made telegrams seem slow and costly, causing them to fall out of use worldwide in the early 2000s.
2. Public Typing Pools
Image from Juniper Gallery
Typing pools, with rows of typists in public or private offices, handled document preparation for businesses or individuals without typewriters or secretaries. You’d walk in with handwritten notes and walk out with a stack of neatly typed pages. As word processors and personal computers became mainstream, the clack of typewriter keys fell silent.
3. Switchboard Operators
Image from Wikipedia
Switchboard operators made phone calls by hand by connecting cables to a panel — a ubiquitous feature in offices, hotels, and telephone exchanges. These employees (usually female) were the first “receptionists,” responsible for call routing, emergency services, and even chat. Automation and digital switching made human intermediaries unnecessary.
4. Ice Delivery Services
Image from Bear Ice Company
Prior to refrigerators, iceboxes chilled food, and daily or weekly ice delivery was necessary in towns and cities. Horse-drawn wagons or trucks would deliver blocks of ice cut from lakes or made in ice plants. With the advent of electric refrigeration in the mid-20th century, the ice man’s knock disappeared from neighborhoods.
5. Lamplighters
Image from Heartbeat International
Gas streetlights previously lit towns before the advent of electricity, and lamplighters patrolled their beats each night to light and then douse the lamps. It was a respected municipal position, particularly in large cities such as London and New York. The electric bulb literally put the lights out on this quaint occupation.
6. Milk Delivery
Image from Stanpac Inc.
Fresh milk was delivered daily in glass bottles directly to your doorstep, usually with a wave of greeting from the milkman. It was a mid-20th-century staple, particularly before supermarket refrigeration became widespread. Declines followed due to improved packaging, car ownership, and changing shopping patterns.
7. Elevator Operators
Image from The New York Times
In early skyscrapers and department stores, elevator operators manually operated the lift, announcing floors and serving customers. In neat uniforms, they were part of the experience as much as the ride. Automatic elevators replaced them by the 1970s, although some older buildings still have the charm.
8. Coin-Operated Payphones
Image from Wikipedia
Found on every corner, in diners, malls, and gas stations, payphones were essential before cell phones became ubiquitous. You’d carry coins or later, phone cards, to call home, check in with friends, or make emergency calls. By the 2010s, they were largely removed due to mobile technology, leaving behind empty phone booths and nostalgia.
9. Film Projectionists in Every Theater
Image from The Columbus Dispatch
Prior to digital film, movie projector operators carefully threaded reels, calibrated reel changes, and adjusted projector focus and audio. This behind-the-scenes craft required training and expertise. Since most theatres are projected digitally, few remain manned or staffed.
10. Public Shoe Shining Stands
Image from AP News
Particularly popular at train stations and inner-city areas, shoeshine booths provided speedy, expert buffing for busy professionals on the move. It was a service and a social custom, frequently involving conversation and repartee. Informal attire and personal grooming products decreased demand, although some remain in large cities.
11. Public Weighing Scales
Image from Pinterest
You once saw coin-operated weighing scales on pavement, in lobbies, or at the doorway of pharmacies, giving a quick look at your weight. A few even dispensed small slips with fortune-telling statements or health advice. With home scales becoming affordable and ubiquitous, this curious public convenience disappeared.
12. Radio License Inspectors
Image from Wikipedia
In other nations, owning a radio (and eventually a TV) involved paying a license fee, and inspectors used to go from house to house to ensure that people did not have unlicensed sets. This was part of subsidizing public broadcasting services, such as the BBC in Britain. When technology improved and fee enforcement shifted, the job mostly disappeared.
13. Public Bathhouses (in the West)
Image from Smithsonian Magazine
During the 19th and early 20th centuries, bathhouses were a civic amenity in urban areas where most homes did not have private plumbing. Individuals paid a nominal fee for hot water, soap, and a clean area in which to bathe. Indoor plumbing later made them obsolete, although some remain today as spas or cultural centers.