Proctor

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Proctor, Comanche County. Now, every town out here on the Texas plain has a story, but Proctor's got layers to it, so settle in. The place you're standing near right now is not the original Proctor.

No sir. Old Proctor stood one mile northeast of this very well, named for a man called A.W. Proctor, who gave land for the first school.

That's how this community planted its roots. But towns, like people, sometimes pick up and move when the right opportunity comes calling. And in 1890, the opportunity had iron wheels and a steam whistle.

Construction halted on the Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railroad right here, and the town of Proctor moved to meet it. Folks even talked about making Proctor the county seat, and why not? Rail freight was being shipped through here, and that kind of commerce has a way of making a town feel important.

In the twenty years following the railroad's coming, Proctor grew into what the marker calls an important business center, and the list of what this community built up is something to recite slow so it lands right. A post office. A newspaper.

A depot. A hotel. A cafe.

A livery stable. A lumberyard. A telephone system.

Two gins, two grocery stores, two barber shops, two drugstores, two doctors. Three churches, four lodges, and a high school. Not bad for a stretch of Comanche County dirt.

And the community didn't stop at commerce. They had an outstanding baseball team, and they had a brass band that played for school programs, picnics, and other public gatherings. You get the picture: this was a town that knew how to work hard and still find time to enjoy itself.

Now, right where you're standing, or close to it, there was a practical matter at the center of all that life. Originally two wells were hand-dug right in the center of Main Street. This one you see here has been preserved as a landmark.

Those wells furnished water for drinking and for fighting fires. Water was drawn by hand and poured into two wooden troughs so the stock could drink. Wagon trains passing through stopped here to water their teams and replenish their supply.

That well in the middle of Main Street was the quiet heartbeat of the whole operation. Towns rise, towns sometimes quiet down, but water, well, water has a way of coming back around. And the marker makes a point of saying that today water is again playing an important part.

Proctor Reservoir is bringing new life to this pioneer community. A.W. Proctor gave land for a school, a railroad stopped and a town grew up around a couple of hand-dug wells, and now a reservoir is writing the next chapter.

Proctor keeps finding a reason to stay.

What the marker says

One mile northeast of this well stood Old Proctor, named for A.W. Proctor who gave land for first school. Town moved here in 1890 when construction halted on the Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railroad. Considered for county seat since rail freight was shipped here. In 20 years following coming of railroad, town developed into an important business center. It had a post office, newspaper, depot, hotel, cafe, livery stable, lumberyard, telephone system, 2 gins, 2 grocery stores, 2 barber shops, 2 drugstores, 2 doctors, 3 churches, 4 lodges and a high school. Community boasted of an outstanding baseball team and a brass band that played for school programs, picnics and other public gatherings. During this time town became a shipping center. Originally two wells were hand-dug in the center of Main Street. This one has been preserved as a landmark. The wells furnished water for drinking and fighting fires; water was drawn by hand and poured in 2 wooden troughs for stock; wagon trains coming through stopped to water their teams and replenish their supply. Today water is again playing an important part--Proctor Reservoir is bringing new life to this pioneer community. (1967)