This collection contains the research materials used by Philip S. McMullan, Jr., in his consulting work and in his study of the Blacklands area of North Carolina which is bounded by the Albemarle Sound on the north and and Pamlico River on the south. McMullan's research resulted in the book North Carolina Blacklands Treasure, published in 2016, which he coauthored with Cy Rich, Jr., who was the first president of First Colony Farms, and First Colony Farms employees Joe Landino and Steve Barnes. McMullan consulted on the First Colony Farms Peat Mining Proposal and an Economic Impact Study for a joint First Colony Farms (owned by McLean Industries) and Prudential Insurance farm development project (Prulean Farms) in mainland Dare County, North Carolina.