A created collection of materials - letters, newspaper clippings, photographs, maps, and other various items - which showcase the history of Adair County; Kirksville, Missouri; and surrounding regions. Some items were a part of the E.M. Violette Museum Collection; other items are from other sources and have been added over the years.

Collection includes ledgers of sub-districts of the Adair County School District for 1866-1881, as well as a compilation of district attendance statistics for 1880-1976 (incomplete coverage).

Registration forms of Adair County women "who desire to help win the war" completed to provided the Council of Defense with a roster of those willing to help in the war effort if a need arose. Data on the registration card includes: name; address, telephone, age, marital status, race, dependents, country of birth, citizenship status, current occupation and level of education attained; also what type of services the applicant was offering.

Documents, correspondence, and financial transactions detailing the 1970s restoration of the Captain Harris House, also known as Parrish Place, a historical building in Kirksville, MO.

A small artificial collection of letters, military records, receipts, slave and land sales, and political memorabilia placed in the Violette Museum by unidentified or unknown donors.

E. M. Violette was Professor of History and Head of the Department of History and Government, 1900-1923. His papers consist of numerous draft versions of his books and articles, professional files primarily from his years in Kirksville, and personal papers, including diaries, scrapbooks and photos from childhood to shortly before his death.

This collection contains diaries dating from 1926 through 1992, which are significant to the history of rural Adair County, Missouri and the Linder family. All pieces in this collection connect to the Linder family. Oran (Hubert) Linder wrote all but one diary that is included, with the other written by O. R. (Bob) Linder.

Personal papers, research notes and writings of Paul Owen Selby, consisting of the files and records he gave during his lifetime as well as those cleared from his campus office after his death. Many are concerned with Kirksville and Adair County history, genealogies of Adair County families, and Mark Twain. Also includes his personal scrapbooks from 1890-1979.

A series of album scrapbooks with histories of the Smith, Patterson, Shibley, Link, and related families of Adair County.