The collection includes a ledger from the Rural Retreat Water Mills, containing more than 200 customer names and accounts, plus records of items purchased. First known as the Rural Retreat Produce & Milling Company until 1911, the company later became the Rural Retreat Water Mills.

The ledger also contained ephemeral items and documents (mostly photocopies) relating to multiple sales of the mill in the 19th and 20th centuries. The ephemera includes an Arm and Hammer ad, draft of a contract related to the leasing of a farm listed 2 miles from Rural Retreat on Wytheville Pike, an inventory slip, and a credit slip.