November 23
JUKEBOX DAY
The first ‘Nickel-in-the-Slot’ (jukebox) was placed in service on this day in 1889 in the Palais Royal Saloon in San Francisco, California. Juke, at the time, was a slang word for a a disorderly house, or house of ill repute. The unit, developed by Louis T. Glass, contained an Edison tinfoil phonograph with four listening tubes. There was a coin slot for each tube. 5 cents bought a few minutes of music. The contraption took in $1,000 in six months!
Wow! And this was before Elvis, the Beach Boys, Motown, and the Beatles, too!
Those Were the Days, the Today in History service from 440 International
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