Rotary phone collects 'Stories of Humanity' at St. Pete park

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Long before texting dominated daily communication, reaching someone often required picking up the phone and leaving a voicemail. 

Jenny Hogan is reviving that in an effort to help people slow down and connect, she said. 

St. Petersburg rotary phone

The backstory:

Hogan started the Instagram page Stories of Humanity almost a year ago, profiling people and their stories from across the area.  

"I recognized that with the people that I was meeting, they had such deep and beautiful stories that they were sharing with me and I wanted a way to encapsulate some of these stories and showcase some of the stories with my love of documentation and storytelling," she said. "Being a therapist myself, I absolutely love humans and the mosaic of stories that come to create who they are as a human."

What we know:

She has now introduced a new concept called "Leave a Message After the Tone." Hogan regularly places a rotary phone in Elva Rouse Park near Vinoy Park, inviting anyone walking past to pick up the phone and share whatever is on their mind.

Instagram page story collection

What they're saying:

"Through all of the interviews that I've done with Stories of Humanity, I recognized that there are some people who don't feel entirely comfortable sharing their story in video format on the page. And, I wanted there to be a way that people could share little tidbits about their life or deep stories about themselves in a way that felt more private and kind of honored maybe that boundary that they have for themselves and also a way to kind of capture the little moments, you know, as somebody is walking through the park and reflecting on their life or reflecting on that day to where we can encapsulate some of those moments," Hogan said.

To help prompt reflection, Hogan occasionally places a sign beside the telephone featuring a specific question or theme. The device records the audio, and selected voicemails are later posted to the project's social media pages.

Park prompts and updates

What's next:

The phone will continue to pop up at various locations throughout Vinoy Park. Scheduling updates and location details are published on the Stories of Humanity Instagram page.

St. PetersburgSocial Media