Perhaps it’s because Halloween is just a few weeks away. Provincial archivists are ramping up the creepy factor in advance of Archives Week, their upcoming annual celebration of public collections of historical records and documents.
“It’s important that we do it every year to teach the public about what we are,” explained Rene Georgopalis, the executive director of the Archives Society of Alberta and former archivist with the MusĂ©e HĂ©ritage Museum. “People can be intimidated to go to archives because they don’t grow up with it. You grow up with museums and you grow up with libraries.”
“It’s important to let people know we are open: the records belong to the people. They aren’t something to be kept hidden away from the public.”
To help further the cause, the society is promoting its upcoming calendar –featuring photos from its vaults – and a week’s worth of events across the province, all under a theme that befits the month that ends with Halloween. Creepy Alberta will certainly add a level of appeal and intrigue to the general public. Georgopalis suggested that it doesn’t necessarily mean people should expect spooky pictures and haunted museums. Rather, they will see images of strange historical sports mascots and pictures of furry fish. How those uncanny figures and images relate to Alberta’s history will also be explained.
“It’s very interesting what’s in our vaults,” she said.
The week kicks off with a Calgary event called Buildings with a Past? featuring a talk by author/historian Harry Sanders. He will discuss how archives have revealed the history of some of that city’s significant buildings.
Staff at Heritage Park will also talk about how archives help them to offer historically accurate interpretation of the park as well as provide some background on the park’s ghost tours. An exhibit featuring creepy images from the vaults of Alberta’s archives will be on display.
“We are excited for the launch event as it gives the public a rare opportunity to see creepy elements in the archives, both from the perspective of archivists and researchers,” stated society president Shamin Malmas in a prepared news release. “[Archives Week is] an opportunity for the public to experience archives in a new and exciting way. We, at the ASA, hope events like Buildings with a Past? get the public excited about our shared history.”
Archives Week features special events at several archives and cultural repositories across the province, three of which are set to take place in Edmonton. The Eerie Battle of Ortona runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Oct. 6 to Oct. 10 at the Loyal Edmonton Regiment Military Museum in the Heritage Centre of the Prince of Wales Armouries, 10440 108 Avenue. Tonight’s the Night explores the Halloween traditions of the city from 1900 through 1950. That event runs 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from Oct. 6 to Oct. 10 at the City of Edmonton Archives, also located in the Prince of Wales Armouries.
The Provincial Archives of Alberta will be presenting Law and Original Order: Discovering Alberta’s Court Records. Archivist Michael Gourlie will give tours of the facility to show genealogists, historians, lawyers, and other researchers how to trace family history and also explore the multicultural development of the province itself. Afterward, attendees will get the rare opportunity to view the vaults and the conservation lab, areas generally considered not for public access. Pre-registration is required by calling 780-427-1750. That will run from 7 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 8 and from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 9. The archives are located at 8555 Roper Road.
In St. Albert, the Musée Héritage Museum continues its exhibit on Raymond Brutinel while archivist Vino Vipulanantharajah will add in a special supplement to add to the atmosphere of the week.
“We’ll have a special display – not too much – but a little bit about the Creepy Alberta theme.”
This will include several images including one of an old abandoned car with a tree growing through the trunk.
“It looks creepy!” he laughed.
This picture is featured in the society’s creepy calendar that is also on sale to the general public.
That display will be up at the museum from Oct. 7 through Oct. 10. Vipulanantharajah will also be offering free tours of the museum’s storage area on a drop-in basis.
“Anyone who is interested is more than welcome to come by.”
The society is also running a virtual exhibit on its website at www.archivesalberta.org. It showcases other creepy images from 19 archival institutions around the province.
