How exactly did the area code come to be?

Despite the rise of the internet, the 10-digit telephone number remains an ubiquitous and all-encompassing method of communication. But it hasn’t been that long since human operators were responsible for completing telephone calls, and The Atlantic has put together a look at how the 10-digit number rose to prominence in the middle of the last century. Beyond the historical journey, the piece also digs deep into the cultural significance that area codes have taken on over the past decades.