In 1888, Dr. E.G. McCormick strung a telephone wire from his office to his brother William's pharmacy next door. Eventually, enough people were asking for and receiving phone service from the McCormicks' small enterprise that in 1906, the two brothers and M.M. Collier incorporated the Prairie Grove Telephone Company. At this time, the new utility was one of two in the rural town. Their competition, the Farmers Mutual Telephone Company, was later bought out by the Prairie Grove Telephone stockholders.

Dr. McCormick's son-in-law, James C. Parks, began working for the Telephone Company in 1907. Parks started as a switchboard operator, worked his way up to General Manager, and was eventually appointed President of the Company where he remained until his death in 1958.

After World War II, demand for service increased and Parks' twin sons, Barry and Donald, joined the Company and began to dig postholes, string wire, and install and repair telephones. In 1979, the telephone company became the first multi-exchange utility in the state of Arkansas to offer all private lines to their subscribers. In 1987, the company now had almost 6000 customers in west Washington County and was the largest family-owned and operated telephone company in Arkansas. At that time, Parks' sons Barry and Donald were Vice-President and General Manager, and Donald's son David was named President in 1986.