The Harry Downing Temple, Jr., Papers contains materials related to Temple's personal life, interest in heraldry and insignia, and his research and publications on the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets. Materials date from about 1872 to 2004.

The majority of the collection comprises research for The Bugle's Echo, including handwritten manuscripts, drafts, copies of research material, and extensive collection of photographs. Most of the research materials are photocopies from the Bugle, Techgram, and the Collegiate Times. As part of his research on Virginia Tech, Col. Temple collected a few original letters and memorabilia from other cadets. This collection houses a few of these letters and reminisces from the early years of Virginia Tech's history.

The other materials in the collection stem largely from Colonel Temple's interest in the military and heraldry. The collection contains materials ranging from battle maps of Europe from the Napoleonic Wars to World War II, to heraldric drawings made by Temple or audio recordings of lectures he attended. Also included are various publications about heraldry and the military that Temple accumulated over his lifetime.