These papers consist of the incoming and outgoing correspondence, notes, diaries, journals, photographs, scrapbooks, manuscripts, magazines and news articles created and collected by Richards as an agricultural journalist, trade association officer, dairyman and cattle breeder. The earlier papers, ca. 1900 to 1920, concern Richards' work as a manager or operator of dairy farms in Western and Central Washington, during which time he developed two pedigree lines of dairy cattle. The major portion of the papers, however, document Richards' editorial positions with agricultural magazines: Pacific Coast Dairyman, 1895-1898; Horn and Hoof, ca. 1905-1912; Northwest Dairyman and Farmer, ca. 1912-1920 and Fisher's Farm Forum, 1932. The papers also contain articles about the dairy industry which Richards reported for various Washington State newspapers as well as free-lance articles. Richards' offices in several dairy trade and lobbying organizations, notably the Washington State Dairyman's Association, the Washington State Holstein-Friesian Association, the Western Washington State Fair Association and the Pacific International Livestock Exhibition Association are also represented. The papers document Richard's association with state politics and government, especially the Department of Agriculture; the Democratic Party and the state agricultural college, now Washington State University.