Payphones used to be everywhere. Now they are nearing total extinction.

The last payphone was removed from New York City on Monday, marking the end of an era in a place that has had the phone booth not only serve millions of people in need of communication but also play a prominent role in countless movies and television shows.

But just how many are left in our region of South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska? Not many.

This list is by no means comprehensive or totally accurate as there may be phones out there that were not listed, but according to listings on Payphone-Directory.org, South Dakota only has one payphone left. It is located in the Belle Fourche Chamber of Commerce.

Minnesota has most of all of our neighbors. There are 462 payphones within the seven area codes in that state. Surpisingly, the area code the most payphones was not in the Minneapolis area. Area code 320, which is in west-central Minnesota, has 189 payphones in it. In the Twin Cities, there are 154 payphones in area code 612.

Iowa has quite a number less than its neighbor to the north. Just 152 payphones exist in the land of cornfields. Most of them, 124 to be exact, are located in the 515 area code around Des Moines. 712 in northwest Iowa has just four payphones.

Nebraska has the second least payphones in the area. There is just one in area code 308 in the town of Lexington. A few more are in eastern Nebraska's 402. There are 38 there.

The Coldest Temperatures in Sioux Falls History

When a polar vortex rolls through Sioux Falls, it can get even the heartiest dreaming of indoor fires, baking, and hot chocolate.

Mr. Bendo is tough enough but for the love of Pete, someone put a scarf on the Statue of David!

All this icy chatter had us wondering about the coldest days ever recorded in Sioux Falls. Here is the historical data from the National Weather Service with the coldest temps ever recorded in Sioux Falls since record-keeping began in 1893.

 

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