A phone call made in Boston 150 years ago laid the foundation for the telecommunications industry we know today.

Why it matters: Telephone inventor Alexander Graham Bell's first phone call to his assistant Thomas Watson on March 10, 1876, led to the establishment of the Bell Telephone Co., which evolved into the American Telephone and Telegraph Co., now known as AT&T.

Driving the news: AT&T is hosting a pop-up museum at its Dallas headquarters this week to share the telephone's history with the public.

Flashback: Bell and Watson explored transmitting voice over telegraph lines for almost 10 years before their breakthrough, competing with other inventors trying to do the same.

• Bell received his first telephone patent on March 7, 1876. Three days later, Bell and Watson made their first phone call at their lab in Boston.
• "Watson, come here, I want you!" Bell said during the call, per Watson's notes, which are now part of AT&T's archives in San Antonio.

The intrigue: Phones were initially used as private lines for businesspeople, lawyers and doctors to communicate internally in their offices, Bill Caughlin, AT&T's corporate archivist, tells Axios.

• The invention of the switchboard made it possible to connect entire communities with phones.

Zoom out: AT&T's archives have more than 1 million photographs, around 100,000 lab notebooks, and roughly 15,000 artifacts documenting Bell's and others' inventions, such as transistors and Telstar satellites sent to space.

• "It's just amazing that there's been that forethought to save what are clearly globally significant materials," Caughlin says.

If you go: Bell's original patent document and telephone wire will be on display from 10am-7pm Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 308 S. Akard St., the building with the AT&T Discovery District's big video board.

How Bell's phone worked

Local exchange service began in Dallas in 1881, with just 40 subscribers connected through a switchboard operating out of a building on Elm Street.

• By 1900, there were over 3,200 subscribers in Dallas, per Caughlin's research.

Why it matters: While telephone companies have changed hands and names often since the 1870s, Dallas has remained a testing ground for new technology.

The intrigue: A.H. Belo, the founder of the Dallas Morning News and the Galveston News, learned about Bell's telephone at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Expo and wanted one as soon as possible.

• Two years later, he had a line installed between his Galveston home and newspaper office. It was reportedly one of the first 1,000 telephones installed nationwide, per the Texas State Historical Association.

Flashback: The first long-distance line in Texas opened on August 2, 1882, connecting Dallas and Lancaster, less than 20 miles away.

• In 1921, a Dallas office for Southwestern Bell became the first in the country to use dial equipment manufactured and installed by the company's employees.
• In April 1924, Dallas had 50,000 telephones, the most of any city south of the Mason-Dixon Line, Caughlin says.
• At the time, operators would route incoming calls to their destinations.

Fun fact: The AT&T headquarters in downtown Dallas is located where a telephone exchange used to be.

What they're saying: "I always tell people I have the best job at AT&T because I get to share all of these wonderful stories from our past," Caughlin tells Axios.

Uneven rainfall across Texas could mean a varied season for blooms this spring, according to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center's annual wildflower forecast.

Why it matters: What Texans see along highways and in fields over the next few months will depend largely on where — and how much — rain has fallen.

Between the lines: Some North Texans are already seeing blooms, but several parts of the state are experiencing drought conditions, which can affect early-blooming wildflowers like Texas bluebonnets and Texas paintbrushes.

What they're saying: "In a state as geographically vast and varied as Texas, it's rare that we can make a forecast that suits the whole state," Andrea DeLong-Amaya, the center's horticulture educator, said in a statement.

• "We have wild fluctuations in weather and lots of microclimate scenarios, and this year's bloom season will be just as varied as that."

Yes, but: If early spring bloomers are sparse, late spring and summer flowers — like firewheel or purple horsemint — could have more room to flourish, according to the center.

• Spring rainfall can help boost those later-blooming flowers.

🏈 The Dallas Cowboys agreed to acquire defensive end Rashan Gary from the Green Bay Packers in exchange for a 2027 draft pick. (ESPN)

✈️ Southwest Airlines has added nonstop flights to Seattle as part of an effort to offer more long-haul options. (DMN)

🛣️ Amazon-owned Zoox plans to expand its robotaxis to Dallas. (CultureMap Dallas)

🦍 The Dallas Zoo will receive two gorillas from a South Carolina zoo later this month. (WCBD)

Uptown's Quad development has some of the city's most sought out dinner reservations.

State of play: The business development features an open square of dining options, including the Michelin-starred Mamani, its newly-opened bakery and other restaurants.

• Domodomo Kō, which now serves lunch, blends Japanese and Korean cuisine with a la carte and tasting menus.

Vibe check: The space feels modern and sleek, like the exterior of the Quad. Seating is intimate, and the music is low enough to carry on a conversation.

• Expect to choose your own sake glass from a tray and to get detailed explanations with each dish.

What to order: Four hand roll set — we chose oyster mushroom, negi toro, scallop and blue crab.

• We started with the hamachi crudo ($19), pictured above, and ended with the shiso ice cream ($8).

Where: Domodomo Kō, 2681 Howell St.

Cost: $28 for four traditional rolls. Premium rolls, like the scallop, add a few dollars.

Six word review: Crisp seaweed, flavorful fish, complementary toppings.

😋 Have a rec for a future Tasty Tuesday? Hit reply and let us know.