The collection consists of several narratives written by David Dexter Clarke. One is a journal of his 1864 trip from Amherst, Massachusetts, to San Francisco, California, crossing the Isthmus of Panama on the way. Another is a history of the development of the water supply system for Portland, Oregon. The longest narrative is a memoir of his professional life, including descriptions of many of the other engineers he worked with.

Also in the collection is a biographical narrative in response to a questionnaire, and the notes used to write it. In addition, there is a small quantity of correspondence with the American Society of Engineers, the Portland Water Supply Committee, and the Oregon Historical Society. Portions of the collection are also available on microfilm.