In 1868 the village of Proctorville was built as a company town for Thomas E. Proctor's tannery. Proctor, as it is now known, is north of Barbours along Plunketts Creek. The bark from Eastern hemlock trees was used in the tanning process, and the village originally sat in the midst of vast forests of hemlock. The tannery employed "several hundred" at wages between 50 cents and US$1.75 a day. These employees lived in 120 company houses, which each rented for $2 a month. In 1892, Proctor had a barbershop, two blacksmiths, cigar stand, I.O.O.F hall, leather shop, news stand, a post office (established in 1885), a two-room school, two stores, and a wagon shop.