Creator Aaron Bouma says building made possible by community support
“Military history has always been my number one thing,” said amateur Carleton County military historian Aaron Bouma.
In collaboration with support from the local community, the Jacksontown man has been putting this enthusiasm to work in recent years with the construction of the Carleton County Military Museum.
Planning began in 2015 when Bouma acquired a decommissioned 1942 M2 anti-aircraft gun from the Town of Woodstock. Bouma broke ground for the museum in the spring of 2021.
Since then, significant progress has been made in constructing the museum, with most of the work done by Bouma himself.
Bouma has received help on multiple occasions. Justin Scott and his carpentry crew and Mike and Mark Gallant of Heritage Construction Services made significant contributions to the roof. He said his brother has also helped him tremendously.
What remains to be done is the installation of proper shelving and insulation, along with a few other smaller jobs.
Bouma has been soliciting donations and help from the community throughout the process. Every $100 donation gets the donor’s name burned into a wooden yet-to-be-constructed plaque that will be displayed in the museum.
“The community response has been amazing,” said Bouma, who has received physical donations for the museum, such as uniforms, cap badges, and bayonets.
Bouma has also received tremendous support from the Gagetown New Brunswick Military History Museum in constructing these exhibits.
There are plans for permanent exhibits for the First and Second World Wars and the Cold War, with other displays on specific events, such as the Canadian liberation of Holland, with plans to rotate displays every six months.
Bouma said exhibits will focus on Carleton, York, and Victoria counties and the regiments formed in the region, including the Carleton Light Regiment, the Carleton-York Regiment, the 26th Battalion and the New Brunswick Rangers.
The museum is expected to have a soft opening this fall, with a grand opening later.
