Scope and Content From the Collection: 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...