The collection consists of the papers of C. Paul Keyser, who served as superintendent of parks in Portland, Oregon, from 1917 to 1949. A significant portion of this collection relates to the history of the Portland park system and the history of the establishment of Forest Park. These materials include a memo about Keyser and others surveying the land that would become Forest Park in 1944; a draft and a copy of "The History of Portland's Forest Park," written by Thornton T. Munger in collaboration with Keyser, and related papers; and Keyser's history of the park system, "The Park System of the City of Roses in Retrospect." The collection also contains records of the Portland Art Commission, and correspondence and papers relating to: the Forestry Building and Keyser's opposition to the World Forestry Center being its replacement; legislation concerning the Oregon Dunes; Save the Myrtle Woods, Inc.; and the Portland Rose Festival, the Royal Rosarians, and the International Rose Test Garden. Correspondents in the collection include Ormond Bean, Mark Hatfield, Thornton T. Munger, Maurine Neuberger, Fred L. Peterson, and Aubrey Watzek.

Other materials in this collection include handwritten notes and calculations by Keyser regarding potential street improvements, and a transcript of Keyser's radio interview on "Northwestern Neighbors."