312

Area code 312 encompasses the Chicago Loop and surrounding areas in Chicago, Illinois. It is roughly bounded by Armitage Avenue on the north, Western Avenue on the west, and 35th Street on the south.

History

312 was one of the original 86 area codes created in 1947, then called "Numbering Plan Areas." With the rotary dialing technology available at the time, care was given to keep the number of "clicks" to a minimum for large cities, hence Chicago being assigned a code with only six clicks. Manhattan was assigned 212, with downtown Los Angeles assigned 213. Also Detroit was assigned 313.

The first production #4ESS toll switch was installed in January 1976. Telephone World

Exchange split

Until 1989, 312 included most of the Chicago metropolitan area; at that time the suburbs became area code 708. In 1996, most of the city split off into 773 after the northern suburbs and western suburbs split into area codes 847 and 630 respectively, while the south suburbs kept 708

In popular culture

• Goose Island Brewery brews a beer named 312 Urban Wheat Ale.
• A restaurant at the Kimpton Hotels-operated Hotel Allegro, at LaSalle and Randolph streets in the Loop, is named 312.
• The Christian rock group Resurrection Band released a song called "Area 312" on their 1982 album D.M.Z.

See also

• List of North American area codes

	Illinois Area codes 217 | 224 | 309 | 312 | 331 | 618 | 630 | 708 | 773 | 779 | 815 | 847

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