Included are photocopies of annual reports, correspondence, diaries, contemporary newspaper and periodical accounts of the Wheeler survey, topographical surveys in general, telegraphic longitude, biographical information, photographs, and lists of maps. Also included are published and unpublished secondary literature relating to these topics, manuscript research notes, correspondence, and bibliographical information about primary and secondary sources.

The material was collected by Robert Karrow, the Newberry Library's Curator of Maps, during the course of research for a major article and a planned (but never completed) dissertation in American History. Additional research on telegraphic longitude resulted in a conference paper and a brief published article. Archival research was conducted at several libraries and the National Archives.