Nearly all of the records in series 1–5 of this collection dating through 1955 originated in the offices of Colin M. McCrary (1884-1956), the first farm manager, from 1930 until 1948, when he became station superintendent. In the Administrative series, the first three folders contain letters from and carbon responses to W. K. Kellogg, as McCrary reported monthly to the farm benefactor at his Arabian horse Farm in California and later kept up contact with Kellogg on a more personal level. There are gaps in this series. At his death in 1956 McCrary was succeeded as superintendent by Ronald Dillingham. By this time the Kellogg Biological Station was established and in operation. Other materials include administrative proposals, course offerings, information relating to various faculty, two oversize blueprints, several brochures, and a folder relating to the dedication ceremony in 1954.

With each level of development in the organization of the Kellogg properties, historical material (series 2) was gathered for news background. Four such folders and two special reports on research comprise the second series. One folder is subtitled "Joseph Stack material," referring to the Stations first director (1929-1939).

Newspaper Clippings series consists of twelve folders spanning the dates 1931 to 1977, including the "Hoefer File," referring to the Kellogg Biological Station director, 1977-1982. The bulk of the material was collected during the 1930s and 1940s, apparently by McCrary, and reflects seasonal operations on the farm in particular, as well as a healthy relationship with the local press.

The Publications series, includes a complete set of Summer Session brochures (1954-1977), several descriptive pamphlets; the volume W.K. Kellogg and his Gull Lake Home, by Linda Oliphant Stanford; two volumes of scientific studies; and loose leaf binder containing "Departmental Review - Gull Lake Laboratories, Kellogg Biological Station" (circa 1976).

The Audio-Visual Materials series includes three scrapbooks, photographs, mounted oversize photographs, postcards, and slides. Scrapbook 308 is of particular significance for pictorial information but is in poor condition. The photographs were arranged chronologically by year when received by the archives, and that order was maintained. Not all of the photographs are dated, however. The oversized photographs are mounted duplicated of images contained in the photograph files. The slides are 35mm slides and contain views of the grounds of the Kellogg Biological Station. Many of them are aerial views.

Kellogg Bird Sanctuary series includes additional materials received in 2007 and are comprised of the records of the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, the original program of what is now the Kellogg Biological Station, extending from 1928 until 2000. The bulk of the materials fall between 1931 and 1980. Of notable interest are the papers of Miles D. Pirnie, the first director of the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, especially his correspondence, found in both this collection and in his personal papers (UA 17.102) These papers are divided into seven subseries: Bird Information and Reports; Correspondence, Educational Projects and Seminars; Lecture Notes and Examinations; Miscellaneous; Miscellaneous Reports and Projects; and Wintergreen Lake. Note that Box 2156, Folder 22A is restricted access.