Courtesy: Eastern Townships Roots
Sherbrooke High School Grade Eight class, 1965, with teacher Mr. Tracy
By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
The Eastern Townships Roots Facebook group, founded by Joel Barter, is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year. What began as a small online community has grown into a widely recognized historical and social hub with over 42,700 members. The group has not only preserved local history but also fostered connections among people with ties to the region.
Barter created the group in response to changes in an existing online community dedicated to the Eastern Townships. “I didn’t want to hijack the group,” he said, explaining in a recent interview that as rules became stricter and the focus of a previous group shifted primarily to landscape photography, he saw an opportunity to create a space dedicated to history and genealogy. “I had a lot of people saying, ‘Yeah, that would be cool. Can you start another one?’ So I did a little poll, and that’s how we got Eastern Townships Roots.”
The group gained traction quickly, with Barter using his own collection of family photos and postcards to engage early members. Over time, participation has remained strong as new contributors have come forward with their own materials. “I’ve been lucky where, once every year, there’s one or two people that post a lot, and then when they run out, someone else comes on board,” he explained. He also credits daily engagement strategies, such as changing the group’s profile picture every morning, for keeping members active. “People wake up, see the new photo, and start talking about it. It maintains dialogue on a daily basis.”
Barter’s interest in history stems from his childhood, influenced by his grandfather’s local knowledge and the writings of historian David Hosking. This passion has fueled Eastern Townships Roots, which has led to some remarkable discoveries. One of the most significant was a chance connection with Hosking’s son, who had joined the group under an alias. “I thought it was the real David Hosking at first!” Barter recalled. “It was pretty cool to find out his son had been following the group and was part of it.”
Over the past five years, Eastern Townships Roots has played an integral role in numerous community projects. The group was instrumental in raising awareness and funds for the restoration of the Fossmobile, an early Canadian automobile. It also contributed to the resurgence of CKTS, a well-known local radio station. Additionally, Barter was honoured with the Marion Phelps Award for his contributions to preserving regional history.
The group has also been a catalyst for personal discoveries. Many members have reconnected with long-lost family members through the group’s genealogy efforts. One particularly moving story involved Jayson Crook, a longtime friend of Barter. “Because of all this British Home Children research, Jay found out his grandfather was a descendant,” Barter said. “Next thing you know, he’s talking to relatives in Australia he never even knew existed. His dad had passed away before he could learn any of this, so it was a huge discovery.”
Eastern Townships Roots has also played a role in reuniting lost items with their rightful owners. A particularly notable case involved a set of military medals discovered at a garage sale. “Someone posted them in the group, and we managed to track down the family in Ontario,” Barter said. “They had been stolen decades ago. Getting them back to the family was really rewarding.”
Beyond personal stories, the group has wielded significant influence in the community. Since Facebook has blocked Canadian news content, local publications, including The Record and the Townships Sun, use the group as a way to share important updates. “I have no problem with that,” Barter said. “Otherwise, who knows what would have happened?”
As Eastern Townships Roots continues to grow, Barter is mindful of the challenges of maintaining such a large online community. He has already begun working on a long-term plan to preserve the group’s content beyond Facebook. “We have a website, and the goal is to transfer everything there,” he explained. “Facebook could be around for five, ten years—maybe less. If it disappears, all this history is gone forever.”
Looking ahead, Barter is also in discussions with the Eastern Townships Resource Centre about strengthening partnerships between local historical societies. “The idea is to get them all together into one group,” he said. “It’s a great concept, but every society already has its own page. We’ll see if it works.”
Reflecting on the past five years, Barter admits he never anticipated the impact Eastern Townships Roots would have. “I didn’t realize the power and influence this group could have,” he said. “I walk down the street, and people call me ‘Mr. Townships.’ It’s a little strange, but it shows how much this has resonated with people.”
With a dedicated community, a commitment to preserving history, and plans for the future, Eastern Townships Roots continues to strengthen connections across generations. “We’re going to keep going,” Barter said. “As long as people want to share their stories, we’ll be here to keep them alive.”