The collection encompasses over 13,000 color and black & white photographs, negatives, and slides. The objects of interest include houses and other dwellings, barns, sheds and various agricultural structures located primarily in the Northern Plains (primarily North Dakota) and Ukraine. Along with the photographs, Father Sherman and his research crew gathered valuable information related to building techniques as well as anthropological and linguistic data. Sherman collected information on the technical process of preparing the clay plaster for the clay-bricked German-Russian dwellings and the construction of the Ukrainian stove-heater. The multitude of images offer detailed examples of building techniques and materials to help create an “insider’s guide” to the everyday life of the Northern Great Plains settlers. This collection has been organized into five series: Homesteads of the Northern Plains, Ukrainian Village, Bank of North Dakota, Miscellaneous, and Research Materials.

The Homesteads of the Northern Plains Series consists of 9,000 images. Father Sherman traveled with NDSU students, including John Guererro and Leo Kim, to photograph architecturally historic farmsteads. Photographs were usually taken in the summers primarily between 1972 and 1976, and occasionally in winter. To complete the ambitious project Father Sherman encouraged student participation.

The Ukrainian Village Series consists of 3,000 images. In 1995 and 1997, Father Sherman and John Guererro traveled to Odessa, Ukraine and documented buildings in former Black Sea and Bessarabian German colonies.

The Bank of North Dakota Series consists of 125 images of Bank of North Dakota homes which were foreclosed in the 1930s. Today, many of these structures no longer exist.

The Miscellaneous Series includes slides Sherman used for presentations, miscellaneous photos and slides, a village map for Baden, an article about Sherman, and his honorary doctorate nomination from UND.

The Research Materials Series includes copies of texts Father Sherman used for reference and documents relating to his 1995 and 1997 trips to Ukraine.