Over a total of four days in 1983 and 1984, surface collections were made at the Donner Summit site by archaeologist Julia Costello and her husband Jeff Tuttle. This work camp, occupied between 1865 and 1869 by Chinese construction workers on the transcontinental railroad, was located using historic accounts, maps, and surface survey. In general, only Chinese artifacts were collected while Euro/American ceramics, glass, and metal were left in place.

The Cambria Collection is arranged at the Series Level. The collection primarily consists of paper documents, including: research papers and notes, letters and emails of correspondence, census data, newspaper articles, deed and tax information pertaining to the Red House, and oral history transcripts. Also included are photographs and maps in both color and black and white of the Red House and the city of Cambria.