The collection consists of photographs from Thompson's years as a Michigan Agricultural College (now Michigan State University) student (1913-1916) and his career as a forester in the 1930s. The M.A.C. photographs include group shots of the Forestry Club, Thompson studying, Class Rush events, and Forestry Club Summer Camp. There are also images of campus buildings including the Engineering Building fire, baseball, football and track and field images, and images of the band. The photographs from the 1930s are of tree planting projects that Thompson worked on, forestry crews, Civilian Conservation Corps crews, and nursery and other project inspections. There are also three images labeled as Michigan National Guard and are possibly battle reenactments.