The George and Lois Garlick family papers document the lives and work of two long-time environmental activists and residents of Whatcom County, Washington. The collection includes a wide range of materials generated by George and Lois, members of the Lopas, Garlick, Broders and Buckman families, and by local historian Gloria Newman. Records include correspondence, boat drawings, writings, scrapbooks, court proceedings,  log books, diaries, clippings and articles, newsletters, business and financial records, memberships, photographs, and audio and video recordings.  The collection spans the period 1821-2006, with the bulk of the materials dated 1930-1999. 

The majority of the collection comprises records generated by George and Lois Garlick. Their personal papers include George's boat-building plans, and writings and scrapbooks created by Lois. The majority of George and Lois' papers pertain to their environmental work. These records contain files relating to legal cases and hearings about shoreline management and land use in Whatcom County (including Cherry Point, Chuckanut Bay and Lake Whatcom) and the Garlick's interest and activities in wildlife protection and stream conservation. The collection includes logbooks and correspondence from the Garlick's work as stewards of Chuckanut Island Preserve, and logbooks maintained by Lois during her bird rehabilitation work. Records from local community action groups include correspondence and newsletters from the North Cascades Audubon Society, of which the Garlick's were founding members. The Garlick's were also  involved in work with Western Washington University through the Huxley College of Environmental Science and Institute for Freshwater Studies. The collection also contains materials documenting Lois' work for the WWU Vehicle Research Institute into energy-efficient cars, including a trip to the Bonneville salt flats in 1982. Photographs include Lois and George's personal photographs and a large number of images of birds, wildlife, and scenic locations in Whatcom County. 

The records generated by the Garlick, Lopas, Broders and Buckman files consist largely of photographs.  Subjects include family and friends, boats, Mountain View (including the Lopas family farm, and shingle mill), Panama, H. Broders' Butcher Shop, M.F. Buckman's Machine Shop, and the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco.  Other materials include records related to the Mountain View Store in the Lopas papers.  The Broders and Buckman families papers include materials related to the Queen City Yacht club, “My Haz-El-Lo I/II," the family boat, and Myron F. Buckman's Machine shop. 

The Gloria Trevino Newman Interpretive materials comprise a collection of research materials primarily documenting George's memories of the Garlick and Lopas families history in the Mountain View area.  These research materials also include information concerning the  Broders and Buckman families, Nooksack River, and Chuckanut Bay, and copies of photographs that are not contained elsewhere in the collection. Gloria Newman's Interpretative materials also contain audiocassette recordings of interviews and oral histories with George and Lois. These recordings include contributions from other local residents and historians including Fred Sutcliffe, Inez Johnson, Chris Friday, Tim Wahl, Jeff Jewell, and Neill Mullen.