These materials were compiled by various anthropologists: Edward Sapir, Franz Boas, Alex Thomas, and Frank Williams. Sapir (ca. 1920) collected and annotated a series of Nootka ethnographic and legendary texts (600 pages of materials), initially intended as a third volume of Sapir and Swadesh, Nootka Texts (1939). Boas (ca. 1900-1913) contributed Nootka vocabularies and grammatical notes (100 slips and 100 pages). Thomas obtained Nootka texts for the collection (ca. 1910-1920).

This collection primarily contains Chitimacha material, with some additional Nootka material, originally recorded on 23 wax cylinders by Morris Swadesh in 1933 and 1934. The recordings were transferred circa 1951 to 2 sound tape reels. Due to the poor condition of the original cylinders, the sound quality of the recordings is generally poor. Tape 1 contains elicited sentences, folklore, and autobiographical stories told in Chitimacha by Benjamin Paul, chief from 1903 to 1934, and Delphine Ducloux, the last known speaker of Chitimacha. Recorded in Louisiana in 1933 on 22 wax cylinders. Tape 2 contains elicited sentences, unidentified narrative, and some singing in Nootka by Alex Thomas. Recorded at Port Alberni, British Columbia, on 1 wax cylinder in 1934.

Nuu-chah-nulth songs and stories, and Makah stories, recorded by Morris Swadesh on 5 wire spools in Port Alberni and Neah Bay in 1949. Includes Nuu-chah-nulth (primarily Tseshaht) songs, group singing, historical stories, and Makah stories.