Lawrence and Clara Arnold moved with their young son, Paul, from San Francisco to the Fruitland Colony (Atwater, California) in 1909. The Arnolds were farmers, and Lawrence "Pop" Arnold helped build the first school in the Fruitland Colony and the first Methodist church in Atwater. The collection documents the family's pioneer history along with key milestones in their lives up through the 1960s.

Significant historical events are documented as well, including the creation of the Cortez Growers Association during the forced internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. The trust leased the farmlands, and the lands were given back to Japanese American owners following the end of WWII.

The collection is comprised of documents, artifacts, correspondence, photographs, and written accounts.