Fonds consists of records documenting John Patterson's involvement with both the Muskoka Lakes Association and the Canadian Coalition on Acid Rain. Fonds is divided into two series, the Muskoka Lakes Association series and the Canadian Coalition on Acid Rain series. Fonds contains correspondence, agendas, minutes, financial reports, budgets, Muskoka Lakes Association Newsletters, Muskoka Lakes Association Yearbooks, reports, notes, advertisements, newspaper clippings, and photographs.

Fonds contains three books written by Robert Forbes. They consist of ledgers dating from 1823 to 1873 and daybooks documenting Fobes' activities as a farmer and merchant dating from 1856 to 1891. Also included are three leaflets with information about postal and farmers’ schedules from the Department of Agriculture, Ontario.

Daybook coverage:

• January 1871 – October 1881;
• January 1882 – December 1891; and
• March 1856 – December 1862.

Ledger coverage:

• July 1839 – [1858?];
• September 1851 – December 1857; and
• September 1823 – 1873.

Three files:

1. 3 pamphlets; Accounts, day books, diaries (volume 1 of 3), 1839 – 1862
2. Accounts, day books, diaries (volume 2 of 3), 1851 – 1881
3. Accounts, day books, diaries (volume 3 of 3), 1843 – 1891