The Larrabee family papers document the interests and activities of a prominent family in Bellingham, Washington. The papers span the period 1840-2004, with the majority of records dated between 1890 and 1994.

Larrabee business records document several of the real estate and mining concerns of Charles X. Larrabee, and his two eldest sons, Charles Francis and Edward Payne Larrabee. The series includes letter books of outgoing correspondence from Charles X. Larrabee and Cyrus Gates regarding their management of real estate interests in Whatcom County, and Larrabee’s stock ranch in Montana. Remaining business records are organized alphabetically by name of company, and include financial records, stock inventories, and catalogs reflecting operations at the Brook-Nook Stock Ranche in Montana, and financial records and reports reflecting operations of the Roslyn-Cascade Coal Company. The series also includes three Oregon Company financial ledgers documenting Larrabee’s real estate investments in Portland, Oregon and a small amount of material generated by the Citizen’s Bank of Fairhaven, Fairhaven Land Company, Fairhaven & Southern Railroad, and Larrabee Real Estate Company.

Larrabee personal papers comprise general information regarding family history and genealogy, personal correspondence, and papers generated by individual family members. Biographical and genealogical information dated 1890-2005 includes obituaries and articles regarding the Larrabees, and detailed correspondence concerning Larrabee and Payne family history. The majority of this correspondence was written and circulated by Mary Adele “Mainey” Bourque (daughter of Charles X. and Frances Payne Larrabee), and her nephew C.X. “X” Larrabee (son of Charles Francis and Mary Larrabee). Personal correspondence is organized alphabetically by name of correspondent, with incoming and outgoing letters arranged separately. This correspondence includes letters to and from Charles X. and Frances Payne Larrabee, their two eldest sons, and Edward Payne's wife Consuelo McMillan Larrabee. The series also contains a small number of papers of individual Larrabee family members, including sheet music belonging to Frances Payne Larrabee, marriage announcements and various souvenirs.

In addition to family photographs, the collection contains architectural records documenting the 1914-1917 design and construction of the Larrabee family residence (now named "Lairmont Manor"), and 1920 specifications for Charles Francis Larrabee’s family home. Property and real estate records comprise correspondence, clippings and maps documenting Larrabee property and real estate in Whatcom County (including the Larrabee home, property around Chuckanut Bay and present-day Larrabee State Park), and includes two 1936 maps of coal mines operated by the Roslyn-Cascade Coal Company.