John L. Cain edited the local magazine East Baltimore Guide, before becoming a city council representative for the 1st district in 1991. As a history lover, he collected various manuscripts, printed materials and artifacts relating to Baltimore City, with a focus on the history of East Baltimore, Highlandtown, and Canton. Cain retired from City Council in 2004 and passed away in 2020 at the age of 80.

Cain's collection includes historical newspapers, business and government records, photographs (including both original slides and many Baltimore Sun prints), original and reprinted maps, publications, brochures, postcards, and ephemera. While Cain's personal papers related to his work on City Council were not included in this collection, certain political and campaign materials related to Baltimore City were retained. The collection was roughly sorted into series and a detailed inventory produced; however, materials are not systematically sorted within those series.

Processed by Kathleen Morris in 2022.