Section of the Second Transatlantic Cable, 1865-1866

Airport radio navigation beacons required pilots to listen for Morse code patterns to hold the correct course--notoriously difficult during storms. In 1936, Transcontinental & Western Air introduced an anti-snow directional antenna which could be used, in high-static situations, to "home in" on airport radio signals. This loop was housed in a sleek metal enclosure, protecting it from the elements.

In 1866, with the second transatlantic cable in place, instant communication between North America and Europe became a reality. An abundance of new cable systems followed, materials improved—and geographic range extended. By 1902 the world was physically surrounded by a network of undersea communication cables. Even today, new submarine cables continue to be installed to carry Internet data.

This sheet music celebrates the first transatlantic cable. The ships depicted are the USS Niagara and HMS Agamemnon. These vessels met in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, spliced their cable payloads together, and set off to separate shores in Ireland and Canada. The man at center is likely Cyrus W. Field, financier of the first and second transatlantic cables.

Join us in celebrating World Oceans Day 2021 and ocean life, livelihoods, and health through artifacts and stories from the collections of The Henry Ford.

Learn about the technology and machinery needed to lay the first transatlantic cable—capable of transmitting telegraph signals across the Atlantic Ocean--in 1858, and subsequent iterations.