John Collier Jr. was one of the outstanding photographers of the 20th Century. He came to Nova Scotia at the invitation of the Dr. Alexander Leighton, whose love for South West Nova Scotia led him to want to provide future generations with a pictorial history. With this in mind, Dr. Leighton submitted a proposal to the Rockefeller Foundation for funds to create such a record. Because of this forward thinking, John Collier and his family were able to spend the years of 1950 and 1951 in Digby County making such an archive.

Photographs are primarily prints and negatives taken by John Collier Jr. (1913-1992), which depict Digby County, Nova Scotia, including the communities of Digby, Bear River, Cape St. Marys, Freeport, Westport, Weymouth, and numerous others. Also includes images of traditional industries (agriculture, fishing, logging, and family businesses), family, social, and religious events, schools, churches, housing, residents, and general views and landscapes.