Fonds includes textual records and photographs generated and collected by the Wilson family and pertaining to Tom Wilson, son Ed Wilson, daughter Ada Wilson and other family members. Textual records include: Ed Wilson's scrapbook, 1881-1968, which includes mainly items pertaining to Tom Wilson, Ed Wilson, the Wilson family, and early guiding and exploration in the Canadian Rockies (photocopy in two volumes); miscellaneous papers, 1905-1929, including a holograph speech by D. D. Galletly on the cave at Banff; letter and note re sale of horses to Frank Wellman, 1920; letters to Catharine Whyte from Ada Wilson re personal matters and Wilson family history, 1964-1965; transcripts of manuscripts by Tom Wilson and B. M. (Bess) Wilson re the CPR and tourism and 1916 pack trip Lake Louise to Kootenay Plains; letters of Col. Robert O'Hara to Tom Wilson, 1895- 1914, re Mount Assiniboine and Lake O'Hara; letter by Catharine Robb Whyte to Tom Link, 1965, re Lake O'Hara history based partly upon above material; diary, Trip to ranch by B. M. Wilson; essay, The last of the pathfinders by Dorie (Wilson) Legit; programmes, articles, clippings re Tom Wilson, 1924-1982; Eliza Edmonds certificate, 1845, and later clipping. Photographs pertain to outfitting and guiding activities of Tom, John and Ed Wilson, including clients, associates and trips throughout the Rocky Mountains; Wilson family, friends and associates; Stoney Indians; Kootenay Plains; Banff people and events; Banff townsite and surrounding area; Canadian Pacific Railway; Nordegg area; 1861-1930. Includes photograph of Tom Wilson at Lake Louise inscribed to A. O. Wheeler, 1932. Many of the early photographs were taken by clients of Tom Wilson. Later, after settling at Kootenay Plains, Wilson was apparently given a camera by Mary Vaux and likely took many of the Stoney Indians views. Ed Wilson was an amateur photographer and likely took most of the views of staff at Lake Louise and of Nordegg.

Fonds consists of this series: I Treaty No. 8 (1899). "Articles of a Treaty made and concluded... in the year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Ninety-Nine between Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland by Her Commissioners the Honourable David Laird... James Andrew Joseph McKenna... Honourable James Hamilton Ross... of the one part; and the Cree, Beaver, Chipewyan and other Indians... by their Chiefs and Headmen, hereunto subscribed, of the other part...." Original printed copy, distributed to all signatories.

The fonds consists of: a history of the Medicine Hat Court House, by Edward Mills (1976); programs and syllabae (32) from the Medicine Hat Rotary Music Festival (1956-1984), incomplete; program for the Stars of the Festival Concert, 24th Annual Rotary Music Festival (1979); program for the Provincial Festival of the Alberta Music Festival Association (1983); petition from squatters living in Medicine Hat Coulee (1882); list of CPR Townsite owners (1885-1897); petition protesting policies of John Niblock (1894); correspondence protesting the policies of John Niblock (1894), and covering letter to Roy Wilson (1983); excerpts from Lewis B. Cochran diary (1902-1941); biography of Colin Cochran (undated); correspondence concerning Michael Leonard, from Roy Wilson (1984); personal research papers (5) entitled "Community in Crisis-Medicine Hat 1891-1898" (undated), "Dear Old Golden Rule Days" (undated), "The Cultural Life of a Prairie Community-Medicine Hat 1883-1903" (undated), "Medicine Hat, the Sporting Town 1883-1905" (undated), "Medicine Hat 1882-1889 Beginnings of a Prairie Community" (1985); student research papers (6) entitled "St. John's Presbyterian Church in Medicine Hat: The Role of the Church in Early HIstory", by Larry Boswell (undated), "A Study of Chinese in Medicine Hat", by Neil Ward (1980), "St. Theresa's Academy: The Death of an Institution", by Bob Derval (1982), "An Introduction to the History of Bow Island", by Sheila Stearns (1982), "A Decade of Law Enforcement, The NWMP 1883-1983", by Sherri Robinson (undated), "History of Policing in the Community of Medicine Hat 1899-1925", by Erica Seitz (undated); index to events as recorded in the Medicine Hat Times & News 1885-1905, by Roy Wilson (undated); binder containing student essays (8) entitled "34 SFTS", by Rob Lerner (1984), "The Forgotten People", by Patricia Anhorn (undated), "The Two Sided Triangle", by Brent Schorr (1984), "Too Many, Too Soon", by Doug Trieber (1984), "The History of the Empress Theatre", by Shari English (undated), "The Commercial and Structural Growth of Swift Current from Railroad Hamlet to City 1882-1914", by Tom Waters (1984), "Zion United Church", by Dave Mikuliak (undated), "Irvine - Some Special Citizens Views of it's Growth and Development", by Bonnie Sanders (undated); duo-tang folder of student essays (5) entitled "Social Statistics, Family Housing and Settlement in selected areas of the S.E. Hill 1903-1925", by Trudi Henderson (1985), "The Effect of the Spanish Influenza", by Toni Maier (1985), "Dontianen: The Tom Sukanen Story", by Rob Poole (1985), "The Bohnet Family-In Search of a New Start", by Rocky Bohnet (1985), "Blissful Ignorance: The POW [Prisoner of War] Camp 132, Medicine Hat", by Carol Sommer Eng (1985); article entitled "Through Memories Windows" as told to Mary Sophia Desmarais by her uncle George William Sanderson (undated); written report on the "State of Affairs in the Northwest" by Edward McKay (1873); one stock binder from Domglass (1944); binder of biographical notes of early Medicine Hat residents (undated); collected CPR research materials (1992); image of Dr. Roy Wilson; 1 audio cassette interview with Dr. Roy Wilson (1984).

The fonds consists of photographs of : Athabasca River ferry in 1906, Athabasca River flood in April, 1904; scow building, Mrs. Gullion, Mr.H.Mullins with a baby in a cradleboard, and views of Athabasca Landing in 1904 and 1913.

The fonds consists of 6 sheets of the history of the Mennonite Voluntary Service units in Calling Lake written by Millie Glick and Hilda Crawford (Eby). A list of the personnel is included.

The fonds consists of 8 issues of The Métis Settlement News dating from 1993 -- 1994.

The fonds consists of photographs of Cree and Blackfoot (Siksika) individuals and school groups at Battleford and Gleichen.

The fonds consists of: archaeological site inventory forms of Kin Coulee burials (1969) [M87.31.1], Medicine Hat City burials (1967) [M87.31.2], Medicine Hat Sand Hill (1967) [M87.31.4], Lynch burials (1967) [M87.31.3].

The fonds consists of copies of scrolls presented to the Queen; and commemorative booklet.