Proctor Area Historical Society

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Proctor Area Historical Society

The Proctor Area Historical Society was founded in 1997 to collect, preserve and disseminate knowled

The Mission of the Society is Telling the Proctor Area's Story--Past, Present and Future.

03/20/2026

Were you there?! ❄️😇

Thanks to The Lift for highlighting one of Proctor's most angelic feats on today's show!! Check out how Proctor once held the world record for most snow angels made simultaneously: https://www.wdio.com/lift-online/thats-old-news-snow-angel-world-record/

01/09/2026

This was a typical workday at the Proctor Museum 14 years ago today on January 8, 2012. Bob Swanstrom from Hermantown Historical Society and Bob Berg from Duluth Preservation Alliance helped us!
Since 2010 over $455,000 has been donated to PAHS. This paid for the move, remodel, update, and the continuing operation of the Proctor Museum. PAHS has been debt-free since June 2022. In addition, over 100 people have volunteered over 100 hours each of their time or services since 2010 to the Proctor Museum. Many have donated over 1000 hours total since 2010!

12/12/2025

The Proctor Area Historical Society (PAHS) was founded in 1994 to collect, preserve, and share the history of the Proctor area. Today, the volunteer-run organization maintains an extensive historical archive and operates the historic Proctor Museum. Since 2010 nearly $450,000 has been donated to PAHS. There are 355 different entries from: Individuals, Families, Businesses, Fundraisers, and Grants who made the Proctor Museum a reality. Right now, we need NEW volunteers and NEW officers. Both the Proctor Museum and Hoghead need your help. Please call Jim at: 218-349-8445.

12/11/2025

The museum hopes to work with both the police chief and fire chief to create displays for the museum! If everything works out the volunteer staff of the Proctor Museum hopes Proctor students will be able to have class visits by early May. The displays will be available for everyone to see all summer. Over the years Proctor’s has had so many GREAT people working in public safety and look forward to seeing what they could be sharing with the community! Admission to the museum is FREE but donations are always welcome.

12/10/2025

Former House of Representatives Member Jim Oberstar paid us a visit on March 28, 2012. He liked the project and asked what CN had given. We said no direct donation although we had submitted a request. Representative Oberstar said we should re-submit and shortly after that CN sent us a check for $25,000. This picture was taken with Kendall (Thudin) Johnson, who entered a nationwide modeling contest and selected us as the charity she would give the entire $7,500 award in her father’s name. Her bio is a very heartwarming story of a daughter’s love for her father. Although she did not win Kendall, along with her three sisters and their families, raised more than $10,000 through fundraisers and volunteering their time. ONLY four individuals/families donated over $10,000 to the project.

12/09/2025

These pictures were taken in August 2011, at a presentation in Proctor City Hall honored former Congressman Jim Oberstar for his longtime service to Proctor and the 8th Congressional District. Before leaving office in January 2011 former Congressman Oberstar secured 80% of the funds for the $6 million Kirkus Street Project. In his speech Oberstar said it took more than 10 years to secure funding for the much-needed project. Proctor had been trying to get funding for Kirkus Street since the mid-1970s. Construction of Kirkus Street was delayed more than 40 years because the city couldn't afford it. At the presentation city administrator Jim Rohweder said, "It's a fantastic project that we're really excited about. Proctor doesn’t have a lot of space left to develop. Kirkus opens up a whole new area for housing and business." In addition to thanking Oberstar for the Kirkus Street funding, community members thanked the former congressman for his 36 years of service to northeastern Minnesota.

12/08/2025

On April 16, 1904, the headquarters of the DM&N was moved from the Wolvin Building in Duluth to Proctor. An article in the Duluth News Tribune dated February 28, 1906, stated that, “Businessmen of Proctor are much pleased with the prospect of even more expanded railroad facilities in their town and truly believe that because of the interest taken by the railway company, the village will in time become a center of commercial importance.” So, what was the impact on the early history of Proctor by the decisions made by the railroad? In 1900 our population was 781 and by 1910 it had risen to 2,243. Our first high school graduating class of five girls occurred in 1912 and Proctor’s population by 1916 had risen to 3,243. The railroad has played a leading role in shaping Proctor and PAHS will honor them by never forgetting their accomplishments. Proctor, in addition, is home to four generations of railroaders and PAHS will tell their story as well. We are telling the narrative of Proctor—a working class story of immigrants, a railroad boomtown, and a compassionate employer. Right now, our Historical Society needs volunteers more than ever.

12/07/2025

Right now, our Historical Society needs volunteers more than ever. Running a small museum isn’t just about keeping the doors open. It’s about keeping the past alive for our children, our schools, and our visitors. It’s about honoring the railroaders, teachers, veterans, business owners, and families who made Proctor what it is today. Whether you have a few hours a month or a few hours a week, your help can make a real difference. You don’t have to be a historian to volunteer. We need people who can greet visitors, organize archives, plan community events, or simply lend a hand with upkeep. If you love Proctor and want to see its story continue to be told, there’s a place for you here. Let’s make sure our local history doesn’t fade away. Let’s pass on the pride of Proctor to the next generation.

12/06/2025

This building has changed very little on the outside and within its four brick walls lies the potential future of Proctor’s rich railroad heritage. On May 21, 2010, the Proctor Area Historical Society kicked off a capital fundraising campaign to save this building and move it near the Yellowstone #225, a historic symbol, and created a museum honoring the men and women who worked on the railroad, lived here, and sent their children to our schools. To fully appreciate the significance and importance of maintaining our heritage for future generations, it is important to look at decisions that started in the early 1900’s. Building was moved on September 15, 2011.

12/05/2025

The former Duluth Missabe & Iron Range (DM&IR) Car Shop Superintendent’s Office built in 1927 was not demolished by the Canadian National (CN) Railroad because of a successful fundraising campaign spearheaded by the Proctor Area Historical Society’s that moved, restored and now uses this historical building as our museum. This was our one chance to save a local link to Proctor’s Missabe Heritage and we did it!

09/29/2025

The Proctor Museum had a record year:
• Largest number of sales at annual rummage sale this weekend
• Largest donation from the annual DM&IR Golf Scramble
• Largest number of students visiting museum thanks to “National Night Out” and Hoghead event held in museum parking lot
Thank you for your continued support to your museum.
Here are some pictures to remind everyone of that support early on to make the museum a reality.

Address

100 Pionk Drive
Proctor, MN
55810

Telephone

+12182067880

Website

https://proctorhistory.org/

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