CELEBRATING
120 YEARS!
For 120 years, we’ve been proud to keep our communities connected. And a milestone this big deserves a celebration!
To say thank you, we’re celebrating with fast Internet, special savings and double the referral rewards.
GET 1 GIG FOR JUST $39.90/MONTH
DOUBLE THE REFERRAL
REWARDS – GET $80!
Go faster for less with 1 Gig Internet for only $39.90/month for your first three months.
Stream, work, game, connect and do more with fast, reliable Internet from a local company that’s been serving your community for 120 years.
Great Internet is even better when you share it.
For our 120th anniversary, we’re doubling our referral reward to $80!
Refer a friend, family member or neighbor who signs up for service, and you’ll receive an $80 credit.
Sign up!
Prairie Grove Telephone
Company - A History
The Prairie Grove Telephone Company (PGTelco) is one of Arkansas’ oldest family-owned telephone companies, with roots dating back to the late 19th century. It was established in 1906 by E. G. McCormick and Will McCormick, owners of the McCormick Bros. drugstore on Prairie Grove’s main street, along with employee Mel M. Collier. The company’s origins trace to 1888, when Dr. McCormick strung a telephone line from his clinic to his brother’s pharmacy next door, and began offering service to local residents.
In 1891–1892, a group of Prairie Grove and Fayetteville residents raised $500 to build a twelve-mile telephone line, one of the longest in the state at the time. By 1906, the utility had 160 phones and 130 miles of lines serving Prairie Grove and rural western Washington County.
James C. (Jim) Parks, Dr. McCormick’s son-in-law, joined in 1901 as a switchboard operator and later became general manager and president. Under his leadership, the company grew through the 1930s, though the Great Depression forced some service cuts. Parks famously kept customers connected even when they couldn’t pay, accepting goods like vegetables, eggs, and even a cow.
Post–World War II, Parks’ sons Donald, Barry, and Joe returned from military service to help install and repair lines, meeting rising demand. In 1949, a severe ice storm damaged nearly all lines, leaving only about 85 phones in service.
By the 1970s, PGTelco had become the first multi-exchange utility in Arkansas to offer all private lines. In 1987, it served nearly 6,000 customers in west Washington County and was the largest family-owned telephone company in the state. At that time, Parks’ sons Barry and Donald were vice president and general manager, and Donald’s son David was president.
Today, PGTelco continues as a family-owned and operated company, offering telephone service, Zing Broadband Internet, and other communications solutions, while maintaining its long-standing community focus PGTelco. Its history reflects decades of resilience, innovation, and service to Prairie Grove and surrounding communities.
