The Union Pacific Railroad Collection (1828-1986) is comprised of the original corporate records of the Union Pacific Railroad's operations in Southern Nevada, Utah, and Southern California, particularly focusing on Las Vegas and Los Angeles. The collection documents the purchase of Stewart ranch and the construction of the original depot and town which became modern Las Vegas. The collection also contains the records of the Las Vegas Land & Water Company (LVL&W), a subsidiary of the railroad formed in 1905 to handle the railroad's land transactions. The collection contains office files, correspondence, reports, leases, various legal, governmental and financial document, the collection contains large and small format maps, architectural and engineering drawings, published technical reports, railroad operational manuals, bound legal briefs, ledgers, and payroll and receipt books. The collection also includes the personal files of Walter Bracken, the Union Pacific's special representative in Nevada and vice president of the Las Vegas Land and Water Company, and a paper index of the collection materials.

The Arnold Shaw papers (1927-2006) contain correspondence, newspaper articles, journal entries, promotional materials, and photographs. Shaw was a prolific writer and his papers also include articles, short stories, plays, and biographies written by him. In addition there are proofreader's notes, research material, and scratch copies for each of his fourteen books. The collection also contains papers from the various vocal groups and companies under contract with Shaw's music company, Mansion Music. Sheet music, some of which was written and produced by Shaw, assorted printed materials, and sound reels are also included.