The Personal Series (1941-1982) contains newspaper clippings, programs, booklets, and notes on a variety of subjects. It also includes speeches and correspondence by John Cahlan and Florence Cahlan, as well as invitations received by the Cahlans from associates and friends.

The articles and manuscripts series (1929-1980) contains editorials, columns, stories and articles. It includes newspaper clippings as well as typewritten drafts of articles. The Cahlans authored many of the articles, but the series includes articles about ghost towns in Nevada by Don Ashbaugh.

The Water Resources series (1942-1978) contains reference materials, drafts and proofs of the book Water - A History of Las Vegas, commissioned and published by the Las Vegas Valley Water District in 1975. Florence Lee Jones and John F. Cahlan co-wrote the first volume, and she authored the second volume by herself. The series includes research, correspondence, minutes, notes and clippings, and reports.