Early forms of communication were based mainly on visual indicators. The discovery of electricity made it possible to transmit messages using an electric telegraph. The telegraph was more reliable than visual indicators and provided instantaneous contact.
A telegraph key is used to transmit messages in a telegraph. The one seen here is found in Ingenium’s collection of artifacts and is called a Camelback because of the hump-shaped look of the lever. It is made out of brass and was used in a telegraph office in Metcalfe, Ontario, which opened in 1870 and closed in 1912.
Note: The model is meant to be viewed in a virtual environment using computer software. You can try printing it off, though we cannot guarantee the quality. To construct your own telegraph key please visit
ingeniumcanada.org/ingenium/museums/education/3D-telegraph-key.php
Our terms of use can be found [here](https://ingeniumcanada.org/ingenium/doc/content/cstmc/CSTMC%20terms%20of%20use%203D%20ENG.pdf).