Benjamin Apthorp Gould (1824-1896) was the founder and first editor of the Astronomical Journal. Gould was involved in the establishment and operation of the National Observatory at Córdoba, Argentina. The collection contains Gould's correspondence with M. Thome, reports, meteorological and astronomical information, and lunar photographs taken in 1918.

James R. Slater was the founder and director (1930-1951) of the Puget Sound Museum of Natural History at the College of Puget Sound (now the James R. Slater Museum of Natural History at the University of Puget Sound). The collection contains files, correspondence, photographs, certificates and diplomas, field guides, plant collecting index notes, maps, and materials pertaining to the Stanley G. Jewett mammal collection.