Focused on Adair County, Missouri, including Kirksville and surrounding areas, this collection encompasses a wide variety of materials from businesses, churches, and organizations. It includes correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs, maps, and more.

Eugene M. Violette's papers include draft versions of his books and articles; professional papers, primarily from his years in Kirksville, Missouri, 1900-1923; and personal and family papers including diaries, scrapbooks and photos from childhood to shortly before his death.

This collection includes P. O. Selby's personal papers, research notes and writings and includes the files and records he gave during his lifetime as well as those found in his campus office after his death. The majority are concerned with Kirksville and Adair County history, genealogies of Adair County families, and Mark Twain.