Topics found in the photographs include athletics, particularly games held at Lawrence High School (L.H.S. or LHS) or Haskell Indian Nations University; the territorial centennial of 1954 and other anniversary celebrations of Kansas's and Lawrence's establishment and statehood; building fires, cave-ins, car accidents, and other disasters; weather events, including snowstorms and floods; citizens of Lawrence, including for human interest stories; building the Kansas turnpike and other road and bridge construction; students returning to school and the various elementary and junior high/middle schools in Lawrence; organizational and club meetings, such as the Kiwanis, Rotary, or Business and Professional Women's Club; 4-H, Scouts, Future Farmers of America (FFA) and other student organizations and clubs; politicians visiting Lawrence and the city and county commission meetings; razing of old buildings and new construction in town; crimes, including murder and burglary; argiculture, including farming equipment, harvesting wheat, and related topics; and other images from stories of note for Lawrence and the surrounding county.

There are some images from surrounding communities in Douglas County, including Baldwin City and Baker University, Eudora, and Tonganoxie. There are also some images from larger state events, particularly those taking place at the statehouse in Topeka, or from events happening in nearby counties. There are also several images related to athletics involving teams and individuals from elsewhere in Kansas, as well as the Kansas City professional baseball and football teams.