The Welda papers consist mainly of personal correspondence supplemented by financial records, certificates, photographs, and a diary. Although the collection, which spans the years 1902 to 1973, is catalogued under the name of Lilian Tracey Welda and the majority of the papers concern her, the collection is in fact a collection of papers of the Tracey family. In addition to the papers of Lilian Tracey Welda, there are papers written to her mother, Matilda Tracey, and smaller quantities of documentation concerning George Wood (Matilda's cousin, primarily concerning the disposition of his estate), Dr. A. U. Jorris (Lilian's business associate), Lester Tracey (Lilian's older brother), and Lloyd S. Tracey (Lilian's younger brother).
The collection for the most part deals with everyday life and community affairs such as the weather and illness, but there are also references to topics of more general concern such as taxation, temperance, and local politics. During the period of her medical education there are many comments concerning medical and health care issues, although information about her active practice is more limited. This period in her career, however, is documented by a financial ledger. The correspondence also tends to divide into subjects which were of particular concern to the writers. For example, within Matilda's correspondence, early in the century her sister Ida Johnson, a teacher in Ashland, talks at length about schools and the teaching professional. Matilda's son Lester discusses his training in the U.S. Navy at Mare Island, California, and an extended Pacific submarine cruise that took him to the Philippines and China. There are also many letters from son Lloyd Tracey, a railroad employee in Idaho who later suffered from mental illness. In addition, Matilda documents her own experiences in the stock market during the Depression and the pre-World War II era.
The correspondence concerning Lilian B. Tracey Welda reveals her professional interests and training, for there are frequent references to conditions and policies within hospitals, sanitariums, clinics, and mental institutions from the years 1925 through 1965. Some of the topics within her correspondence include abortion and birth control and treatment of the mentally ill. Although her own practice in La Crosse is little covered, she received numerous letters from friends who were in practice.
Photographs (primarily family portraits) received with the collection were retained by the La Crosse Area Research Center.
