The Richard Kearns Papers (1971-1985) contain the records documenting the work completed by Kearns in his role as Executive Director of the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach between 1980-1983. Materials include correspondence, personal handwritten notes on projects, memoranda drafted by Kearns, and internal institutional records for the Preservation Foundation. Also included in the collection are research documents, newspaper clippings, court briefings, Town of Palm Beach town ordinances, brochures and advertisements, and other materials related to major town projects undertaken by the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach between 1980-1983.

Major projects within materials wtihin this collection include a preservation and adaptive reuse proposal for the Paramount Theater building, the 1980s building moratorium on the Town of Palm Beach, endorsed by the Preservation Foundation, which halted all new construction for the town, and the "Crisis Overhead" campaign, which brought forth litigation against the Palm Beach International Airport for excess noise pollution caused by air traffic, in an attempt to reroute flight patterns and stop an expansion of the airport.

The collection contains significant institutional records for the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach, however they have been interfiled with the personal work of Richard Kearns, and appear to have been arranged and compiled by him during his tenure, therefore they are remaining with the collection to maintain original order.