 The text covers American housing patterns, the individual characteristics of houses in different regions, construction techniques and materials, household technology, and family lifestyles.Emory contributed authorship to the West Virginia Encyclopedia.He wrote articles on bridges, cable-stayed bridges, Claudius Crozet, the Fairmont High Level Bridge, Frank Duff McEnteer, swinging bridges, the Weston and Gauley Bridge Turnpike, and the Wheeling Suspension Bridge

Upon graduation from the University of Illinois in civil engineering, Kemp received the Ira O. Baker for outstanding achievement.