Research, including photographic prints and negatives, on Dade County and South Florida, particularly: Miami River, Dade County Schools, South Florida archaeology, Tropical Audubon Society, Arch Creek and local designation reports and National Register nominations.

Arch Creek papers Include applications to the National Register of Historic Places Inventory; for a Dade County Historic Site designation; and for a state archaeological site listing. Also includes photocopies of reports by Robert Carr and Dan D. Laxson. A substantial though unsorted collection of editorials, news articles and other writings document several attempts to save the property for public use; the establishment of a park and museum, and efforts to restore the area's native vegetation.

The Shafer collection consists of approximately .5 cubic foot of manuscripts, research notes, newsletters, correspondence, newspaper and magazine clippings, pamphlets, and ephemera.

A substantial portion of the collection, approximately 1 cubic foot, is composed of over 1,000 photographic prints and negatives, primarily of antique bottles and archaeological artifacts and dig sites. In addition, Shafer and his family  are the subject of some of these photographs. The prints range in size from contact sheets to 11 x 14 inches and include both color and black-and-white images. Also among the items in the collection are some slides and a color transparency.