The collection contains materials relating George Green Shackelford, a professor of history at Virginia Tech and includes clippings, correspondence, memoranda, bulletins, scrapbooks, and other materials relating to the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities (now Preservation Virginia); the National Trust; the New River Historical Association; the Virginia Landmark Commission the Democratic Committee of Montgomery County (Virginia); the Visiting Scholar Committee of the College of Arts and Sciences for VPI&SU; Blacksburg, Virginia, and Southwest Virginia history; historic properties in Blacksburg and Southwest Virginia, particularly Smithfield Plantation; and of Virginia and VPI&SU related topics.

Two notable collection items are a card from Mrs. John F. Kennedy thanking Shackelford for his sympathy for her husband's death and an invite to a reception in honor of Mrs. Douglas MacArthur of The National Officers of the Hereditary Societies of the United States at The Washington Club.

Although most collection items relate to Shackelford's professional and academic career, some notable personal items include local clippings reporting his wedding to Grace Howard McConnell and various invitations to his home for holiday parties. Because Shackelford was a prolific letter writer and maintained close relationships with many of his colleagues, his professional correspondence often includes personal inquiries.

This collection is arranged into six series--Series I: Correspondence; Series II: Manuscripts, Projects, Research, and Academic Papers; Series III: Association papers; Series IV: Personal Papers; Series V: Scrapbooks; and Series IV: Oversized Materials. Within these series, there is some subject overlap within individual folders.