The collection consists of maps copied from the Public Archives of Canada (now library and Archives Canada) in ca. 1965 documenting the exploration and early settlement of Alberta covering the period of 1775 to 1914. The collection features areas such as the District of Alberta, Rocky Mountain House, the Rocky Mountains, First Nations Territories, the Northwest Territories; maps featuring the exploratory work of Peter Pond and David Thompson; and maps featuring the settlement of Hudson's Bay Company and the North West Mounted Police.