Western Union Microwave Station
Mt. Aukum, CA

The transcontinental microwave radio network of the Western Union Telegraph Company included three major hubs, called "Junction Offices", near Romney, WV, Berwick, KS, and Mount Aukum, California. Located far from cities likely to be targeted in a Soviet nuclear attack, these facilities handled communications for both private and government customers. The Junction Offices served the Automatic Digital Network (AUTODIN), an important defense communications network. They also housed mainframe computer systems for the General Services Administration's Advanced Record System, a text-message system serving the civilian agencies of the federal government.