Carlton County Historical Society

Who We Are

We are dedicated to preserving the unique history of Carlton County. We not only collect artifacts and remember important events, we also gather the countless individual stories left behind by our ancestors and neighbors. We are proud to serve Carlton County in the collection, preservation, and dissemination of the history of the county.

We are always working on our museum displays, the barn calendars, the Carlton County Fair, and endless other projects to showcase the unique history of our area.

To stay up to date with our events, please follow us on Facebook or check the Events page.

If you would like to get involved, visit our Join Us & Volunteer page.

The Carlton County Historical Society (CCHS) was formed in 1949 by a group of interested citizens as a sub-committee of the Cloquet Rotary Club. It functioned as a volunteer organization for a number of years using makeshift spaces in Carlton. CCHS found a home at the Garfield School in Cloquet in 1980 and had one part-time employee. In 1987, CCHS was moved to a permanent location in the Shaw Memorial Building in Cloquet. CCHS also owns several buildings on the Carlton County Fair Grounds in Barnum where outreach activities are held. Learn more about CCHS History here.

The CCHS Foundation was formed in 1988 to support the Carlton County Historical Society in its efforts to collect, preserve, and disseminate the history of Carlton County.

Each year the Carlton County Historical Society serves the citizens of Carlton County, former residents, and visitors to the area in a variety of ways.

History of the Shaw Memorial Library

The first Cloquet Public Library was built in 1902, before Cloquet was officially a city. George Stearns Shaw, one of the first lumber company owners in the area, never had a formal education; he educated himself and thus valued libraries. He served on the library committee for the town of Knife Falls, which in 1904 would become the City of Cloquet to ensure that residents of the area had access to books.

Meet the Director

Thomlin Swan (they/he) is a theatre artist, community development specialist, and novice historian with 15 years experience in nonprofit leadership and administration.

Originally from New York City, Thomlin began connecting with the Great Lakes region in 2016 with an outdoor folk opera about environmental grief called The Wastelands. From 2016-2020, Thomlin and their partner, Gus Ganley, conducted documentary filming about water shut offs, water poisoning, and wetland destruction in designated areas of concern (AOCs), eventually leading them to move to Nahgahchiwanong (Fond du Lac Reservation) in 2021. Since moving here, Thomlin has produced several original theatre productions to highlight hidden histories of Cloquet and Duluth, including a shadow puppet show called Land of Stories about Indian boarding schools. From 2023-2026, Thomlin led creative placemaking efforts in Duluth through Zeitgeist Arts & Community, which included oral history and story-map projects about the historic Hillside neighborhood. Thomlin is deeply committed to using the arts and storytelling to inspire empathy and action for a just, inclusive, and caring world.

Thomlin is honored to be stewarding the Carlton County Historical Society as Executive Director alongside a remarkable team of staff, board members, and volunteers. In addition to their work at CCHS, Thomlin co-directs a Great Lakes-wide storying collective called Emergent Seas and manages a community art space in Duluth called Waterstop Infoshop.

Thomlin and Gus live in Cloquet with their two rambunctious children, Saoirse and Ruah. Thomlin’s favorite part about living here is getting to know people’s intimate stories about this place and connecting with Gitchigami Ziibi/the St. Louis River through all seasons.

Meet Our Staff

Thomlin Swan

Executive Director

Sabrina Anderson

Development Coordinator

Anja Bottila

Researcher and Office Assistant

Suzanne VanHoever

Administrative Assistant

Meet Our Board

We asked our board members: "Why is local history important to you?" Read their responses below!

Emily Swanson

Board President and Ex- Officio Foundation Board Member

"Albert Einstein made the case for local Historical Societies when he said 'Whoever is careless about the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters'. History matters."

Ted Lammi

"Local history matters to me because 'past is prologue.' The only way to know where you are going is to know where you have been. History to me is the most exciting drama because it really happened."

Jan Larson

"I am interested in history. We can learn from the past. I'm excited to learn more about the rich history of Carlton County."

Marian Johnson

"You are a part of history. Learn from it, preserve it, and pass it on."

Kevin Allen

"Being that I am new to the area, I knew the easiest way to learn about my new community was to get involved with CCHS. Local history can teach you so much about an area, and now I am contributing every day to the history of the county. The history of you, me and all the others on this planet can tell us so much about each other. The best part of it all—all you have to do is look."

Tom Urbanski

Greg Hallback

"As a lifelong resident of Cloquet, each passing year grows my roots deeper in my city's and my family's past. My affinity with our collective history strengthens with each year."

Ann Carlander

"All individuals carry a living history so are part of an ongoing legacy. History invites us to enrich ourselves and help others to explore ancestral skills, and attempt to revive 'lost' arts so they might be passed on! Remember to have fun, try new things, and be playful with our knowledgeable elders!"

Anna Fellegy

"The collection and preservation of local history forms a vital piece of the regional, state, Tribal, and national historical bedrock. All human history begins locally."

Rob Kavanaugh

William (Bill) Dixon

Meet Our Foundation Board

Larry Anderson

Foundation Board President

Cynthia Johnson

"I so enjoy exploring history including my own past, my family’s past, my friends’ past, plus playing the past at the log cabin during the Carlton County Fair."