The collection contains few professional letters or other records of his work as a surveyor. During this same time period, however, Dike was courting his future second wife, Nancy P. Douglas. Writing to her almost weekly between the years 1885 and 1886, he described life in the surveyor's camp. The letters are also filled with Dike's views on love, marriage, and family relationships. They present an excellent description of late nineteenth century middle class values.

This collection is also important for its documentation of land transactions on the Dakota frontier, c. 1873-1907. The land records are complex and include farm contracts, chattel mortgages, warranty deeds, foreclosure notices, and property tax receipts. These records show that Dike owned two lots in Minneapolis and seemed to have engaged in land speculation.

While land records form the bulk of the collection, household accounts are also included. Miscellaneous bank accounts record Dike's personal and business expenses from 1872-1888. Household accounts and receipts document purchases from 1873 to 1899. Other documents include a rental agreement dated 1881 and crop and house insurance policies, 1885-1891. In addition the collection contains such miscellaneous items as a scrapbook of marine botanical samples and some manuscript survey maps.