The earliest photographs begin around 1870 and end at 1900. They show a variety of people, typically men or women at various ages although there are a few photographs of children. The photographs for the most part are head and shoulders portrait. Two of the children's photographs are full-size portraits. They are in sepia tone and show various hairstyles and clothing.

The collection is composed of photographs, mainly carte de visites, cabinet cards and miscellaneous photographs of unidentified people taken by Kalamazoo photographers. These photographs more than likely were taken anywhere between 1870 and 1955.