Always There: 150 Years of ADT

The need to feel secure around one’s home has existed since the first human settlements, although the methods for maintaining said security have changed with time. Since antiquity, people have used domesticated animals to warn against and scare off potential intruders. With the rise of the industrial revolution came the need for more sophisticated security alarms.

Enter ADT, which was founded at the tail end of the 19th century. On the company's 150th anniversary, we look back on the history of home security and the part that ADT has played in the technological advancements the industry has gone through.

A brief history of home security

Beginnings of home security before ADT

Home security before the industrial revolution

When towns first began and people started building permanent homes, security was provided by watchtowers, walls and other structures that protected the entire settlement. Guard dogs and other animals became a common solution in remote locations since they used to make noise to alert in case of intruders.

The industrial revolution caused densely populated cities to spring up all over Europe and the U.S., and with them came the need to deter crime in a new way. Although electricity was still a relatively new discovery, the invention of the electric telegraph in 1816 and the electromagnet in 1825 paved the way for what would eventually be major tools in home security technology.

First burglar alarm

Reverend Augustus Russell Pope registered the patent for the first burglar alarm in 1853 in the town of Somerville, Massachusetts. It used electromagnets and a telegraph system to sound a bell when a certain obstacle had been breached.

This patent was eventually purchased by inventor Edwin Holmes, who marketed the invention for businesses in New York. This business was eventually acquired by the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) in 1905, incorporating it into emergency call systems for contacting police and firefighters.

Founding of ADT

Inception of ADT

ADT was founded as American District Telegraph in 1874 by Edward A. Calahan. Calahan had invented a stock ticker in 1863 to transmit stock exchange information over telegraph lines. After suffering from a burglary, he was inspired to create a telegraph-based security alert system.

The system was based on call-boxes designed to signal for assistance to a central office in the case of a break-in. Connecting 50 other homes in the neighborhood, Calahan created the first residential security system network, which was incorporated as ADT shortly thereafter.

First security monitoring service

ADT also began the first security monitoring service, employing a type of neighborhood watch crew called Roundsmen to patrol each night to prevent burglaries and fires. Roundsmen checked in at regular intervals with ADT’s call boxes, which were also used to call messenger boys that could run errands and send messages.

First automated burglar and fire alarm system

In the 1940s, ADT pioneered the first automated burglar system and the first automated fire alarm system. With these systems, potential threats would be notified to ADT’s central monitoring centers, which allowed customers to receive monitoring and protection around the clock.

Home security in the digital age

First audio-visual home security system

In 1966, Marie Van Brittan and Albert L. Brown applied for a patent for an audio-visual home security system. The patent mentioned an electrically controlled lock, a vertically sliding camera, loudspeakers and a microphone. The camera was connected by radio to a television monitor inside the home, which allowed the occupant to see and communicate with a person at their door from a distance.

First computer-based proprietary system

Not long after in 1974, ADT celebrated their 100th anniversary by introducing its first computer-based home security system.

ADT in present day

With the advent of Wi-Fi in 1997, cameras could now transmit video streams to monitoring centers directly and without the need for wires. This made the installation of security systems much easier and lowered the prices across the board. The invention of smartphones also allowed remote monitoring of your home.

ADT’s mobile app Pulse allowed customers to remotely access and control their home security system in real time, including moving security cameras and changing lighting. This, combined with ADT’s Command and Control smart home security system, has kept ADT relevant 150 years later and at the forefront of emerging security technologies.

Summary of 150 Years of ADT

ADT, formerly known as the American District Telegraph Company, has been an industry leader in the world of home security since its founding 150 years ago. Throughout the technological changes of the 20th century and beyond, ADT has been a part of the continuous innovation and development of what we call the home security industry.