The Clark Lake Lions Club distributed a map of Clark Lake around 1960.  It included ads for many of the businesses that served Clark Lake.

map c1960 ps

In the early 1960s, there were many copies of this Lions Club map of Clark Lake, but only a few exist today. This copy is laminated making some reflections inevitable in the photo. The laminate has also preserved the map which can be seen at Doyles.

As you look this over, notice the phone numbers in the ads.  Some of the Clark Lake numbers began with LA 9 (LAkeside 9).  At the that this map was published, Michigan Bell began assigning new Clark Lake numbers with the prefix 529.  That, of course, is the same thing on the phone dial as LA9, only expressed differently.   For a while, the LA 9 numbers remained along side the all-number versions in phone books and in ads like these.  Eventually Ma Bell converted all Clark Lake listings in the phone book to 529.

Like Clark Lake, Brooklyn numbers were listed two ways–either as LYric 2 or 592 during this period.  Whether LY2 or 592, some people have wondered why Brooklyn and Clark Lake, adjacent to each other geographically, were assigned 592 and 529 respectively.  Confusing?  Just try having a number at Clark Lake which is duplicated at a  Brooklyn business, and you’ll have your answer!

Another telephone quirk: During the early 1960s, if your phone number began with 529, you did not need to dial the 52 portion–just the last five digits as long as you were calling someone within the 529 exchange.  And this was true for most other Jackson exchanges, as well.  This affected the way people verbalized their phone number.  To this day, some people will give their number as 52 (pause) 9xxxx instead of the more typical 529 (pause) xxxx.

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