Architectural Spotlight: The Secrets and Stories of 112 Caroline Street
If you’ve ever taken a stroll through Ogdensburg's historic Library Park National Historic District, your eyes have undoubtedly been drawn to 112 Caroline Street. Built in 1891, this beautifully restored mansion stands as one of the most striking and unique architectural gems in our community.
A Masterclass in Shingle Style Design
The home is a spectacular example of Shingle Style architecture, a distinct American movement deeply rooted in the broader Queen Anne Style of the late 19th century. While you can spot other examples nearby—like the G.S. Dorwin House on State Street—the Proctor house boasts a character entirely its own.
Take a moment to look closely at its design, and you will notice a captivating mix of features:
An eclectic variety of gables, turrets, and bays
Intricate chimneys and character-filled, asymmetrical window openings
A magnificent, semi-circular glass-enclosed front porch
What truly pulls this sprawling design together is its material harmony: a uniform canvas of monochrome shingles anchored beautifully by rugged, locally quarried Potsdam Sandstone.
The Original Builders: The Proctor Family
The mansion's grand scale makes perfect sense when you look at the man who built it: Lawrence Manning Proctor. Born right here in Ogdensburg in 1865 to William L. Proctor and Dolly Howard, Lawrence grew up immersed in the local industry. His family operated both the Proctor Lumber Company and the Proctor Toboggan Company—businesses that literally shaped the landscape and recreation of the region.
Lawrence eventually married Mary Bosworth, and together they raised four children in the home. However, their time on Caroline Street was short-lived. In 1897, just six years after completing the mansion, the family packed up and moved west to Fernie, British Columbia, where Lawrence purchased a new lumber company.
From Lumber to Shipping: The Augsbury Era
After the Proctors departed, the home eventually found its way into the hands of another titan of local industry. In 1921, prominent citizen Frank Augsbury Sr. purchased the estate.
Augsbury was a relentless entrepreneur. Born in Plessis, NY, in 1865, he started out running his father's flour company in Antwerp before transitioning to a paper mill in DeGrasse, where he orchestrated the transport of pulpwood down to Montreal. He later took the reins of the George Hall Company, transforming it into a dominant shipping empire on the St. Lawrence River. Even when the Canada Steamship Company bought him out, Augsbury simply started a brand-new shipping firm and added the presidency of the Algonquin Paper Company to his resume.
In 1920, Frank married Bessie Sterne, and a year later they moved into 112 Caroline Street, where they raised their son, Frank Addison Jr. But they weren't the only ones filling the massive home. Mrs. Augsbury’s unmarried sisters, Susan and Kathleen Sterne, moved into the mansion with them in 1921. The sisters became a permanent fixture of the household, residing there for the rest of their long lives until their passings in 1967 and 1985, respectively.
Preserving Ogdensburg's History
Though decades have passed and subsequent owners have completed minor renovations, 112 Caroline Street remains remarkably frozen in time. Thanks to dedicated stewardship over the last 130+ years, the mansion still retains its original, breathtaking architectural features—standing proud as a living testament to Ogdensburg's golden age of industry.
Help Us Keep Ogdensburg's Stories Alive!
Bridges to our past like the Proctor-Augsbury house stay preserved only when a community chooses to value its history. Here at the Ogdensburg History Museum, we are dedicated to uncovering, archiving, and sharing these incredible local stories—but we can't do it alone.
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