From attics to archives: Preserving our past

In this week’s edition of The Pulse of the Eastern Townships on CJMQ 88.9 FM, host William Crooks sits down with Bury resident and well-known local historian Joel Barter for a fascinating conversation about preserving the everyday history of the Townships. Supported by the Local Journalism Initiative, this segment explores how Barter has become a central figure in collecting, documenting, and protecting the small but meaningful artifacts that help tell the story of our region.

Barter, an archivist with the Bury Historical Society and founder of the popular Eastern Townships Roots Facebook community, discusses how he first became interested in local history and why he believes ordinary household objects — wedding dresses, school uniforms, postcards, municipal records, scrapbooks, and more — can be just as important as museum pieces. He explains the process residents should follow if they find something in an attic, closet, or barn and aren’t sure whether it holds historical value.

The interview also highlights some of Barter’s ongoing projects, including the restoration of local landmarks, the preservation of military banners, and the ambitious effort to document the origins of Bury’s road names — a project that has grown larger than expected due to the volume of handwritten historical records.

Listeners will also learn about the remarkable reach of Eastern Townships Roots, now nearing 50,000 members, where residents from around the world help answer questions about genealogy and regional history.

Insightful and community-driven, this segment celebrates the importance of remembering where we come from — one artifact at a time.