He was an avid student and writer of history. He was a driving force behind the creation of the Heritage Room at the Edmonton Courthouse, a collection of artifacts and photographs of Alberta's legal history, including portraits of prominent Alberta judges and many of his own writings. After his death, the Alberta Court of Appeal renamed the room the J.W. (Buzz) McClung Heritage Room. He wrote often about legal history, including a book entitled "Law West of the Bay" in 1997. He also wrote a History of the Alberta Court of Appeal published by his fellow appellate justices after he died. He was also a friend and strong supporter of the Heritage Community Foundation.