The one and only pay phone in Lee Vining
July 6th, 2010 by Greg, Information & Restoration Specialist
The pay phone at the Tioga Gas Mart, at the corner of Hwy 120 and Hwy 395, is the only pay phone “in” Lee Vining.
When I arrived in Lee Vining 15 years ago, there were at least five pay phones in town (there were also about four restaurants that no longer exist). Cell phone reception is still spotty, and I still don’t have one; however, all of those public phones have been removed.
The Tioga Gas Mart, which wasn’t there 15 years ago, was built with a pay phone, surprisingly enough. I say “surprisingly” because a mall near my mom’s house in Torrance was partially rebuilt a few years ago, and the new section has no pay phones—you need to go to the older section to find one. Future archaeologists will probably be able to date construction pre/post the year 2000 by the presence or absence of pay phone sites!
And yes, despite seemingly ubiquitous cell phone usage, many tourists stopping at the Mono Lake Committee Information Center and Bookstore still ask where to find a pay phone. Surprisingly enough!
