Hood County Texas Genealogical Society

LIPAN TELEPHONE COMPANY

Featured Company of the Month

Texas Statewide Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (TSTCI) Newsletter – April 1998

Lipan Telephone Company, Inc., is a family owned and operated business with two exchanges in north central Texas. The two exchanges are Lipan and Bluff Dale. It has a service area which extends to four counties: Hood, Erath, Palo Pinto and Parker. The company became incorporated in 1956 when Herman D. Howard borrowed $5000 to purchase 500 shares of stock making him the majority owner of Lipan Telephone Company. Currently all 645 shares of stock are owned by the Howard family.

Lipan Telephone Cooperative had been serving its rural environs since the early 1900s with the subscribers working a number of days each year to keep up the system and electing a five-man board of directors to oversee the operations.

At the time Herman Howard was elected to the board of directors, crank telephones were the only kind in use (an operator placed all calls). This operator was Herman’s aunt, Bessie Howell, who lived in the telephone office. There were only 115 subscribers and just one long distance line to Granbury.

The board of directors decided to make some improvements to the telephone cooperative. The cooperative was incorporated in 1956 as the Lipan Telephone Company and 645 shares of stock priced at $10 each to raise needed capital for the improvements.

With the encouragement of all but a few of the members of the community, Herman Howard borrowed the money to buy 500 shares. At this time, Howard was in the dry cleaning business.

In 1960-61, the switch was made to dial telephones. However, 1973 was the really big year. With low-cost financing from REA, a complete new system was installed. This consisted of all buried cable and one-party service.

Herman Howard was very active in the community. He organized the Lipan Volunteer Fire Department. He served several terms on the school board and was also mayor at one time. He updated a rural, antiquated telephone cooperative into a modern system. The community’s appreciation for Herman was very evident when a ceremony was held in his honor. Herman and his wife Bobbie were presented with a plaque recognizing their contributions.

In July 1985, the community suffered a great loss when Herman died from cancer. Herman’s commitment to the community is continued through his family.

Lipan Telephone school involvement includes five $500 scholarships per year ("Herman D. Howard Memorial Scholarship") and offers services for Distance Learning to both their schools.

In March, 1989, with another REA loan, Lipan Telephone Company upgraded its service to digital. This new system offered such amenities as touch tone, call waiting, call forwarding, speed dialing, and toll restriction. Lipan is the host office, with Bluff Dale as the remote. Also, 12 miles of fiber optic cable was installed, connecting Lipan’s central office to Southwestern Bell’s main toll cable at Santo. Today they also offer other features such as Caller ID and Internet access.

Lipan Telephone Company is still a family owned and operated business. John M. Howard serves as President and General Manager.

Currently, Lipan Telephone Company has approximately 850 subscribers (approximately 1,200 access lines). The company employs six outside plant employees and three office personnel.

~ Web Page by Virginia Hale ~

2001 HOOD COUNTY TEXAS GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY