1
Aerial Photographs
Statewide Oklahoma Inventory
November 2011
Jeffrey M. Wilhite, University of Oklahoma Government Documents Librarian
Aerial and satellite images allow one to create images from varying altitudes above the Earth. The images allow researchers to see and accurately portray patterns of land use on a local, regional, continental, or global scale. Collectively they are referred to as remotely sensed images and the process is called remote sensing.
WHAT ARE AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS?
Aerial photographs are taken from an airplane flying at various altitudes. Common altitudes are 5,000 to 60,000 feet, and generally the lower the altitude the greater the detail. Photographs taken from airplanes began with Wilbur Wright’s 1909 flight over Centonelli, Italy. World War I and World War II stimulated the greatest advances in the technology of creating and using aerial photography. Beginning in the 1930’s, the United States Geological Survey (USGA) and Tennessee Valley Authority began using aerial photography to help create topographic maps.
The three standard paper print sizes for aerial photographs are:
9 inches by 9 inches, called standard contact size (Scale 1:40,000)
18 inches by 18 inches (2X enlargements) (Scale 1:20,000)
36 inches by 36 inches (4X enlargements) (Scale 1:10,000)
Successive aerial photographs can be overlapped and using a stereoscope, seen as 3-D images. The images can be either black and white or color depending upon the use for which the images were created.
WHO PRODUCED AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS?
Government agencies have produced the largest number of aerial photographs although there are commercial services such as Tobin. The Federal government’s aerial photograph program began as a direction from the Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal administration in the 1930s. The photos were to provide a natural baseline for scientific planning for land use and soil conservation, with soil erosion from wind and water being a primary federal concern.
Aerial photographs have been flown for the Agricultural Stabilization and Conversation Service (ASCS), the Soil Conservation Service (SCS), the USGS, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA), the Federal Highway Commission (FHC), and the Defense Mapping Agency (now called National Imagery and Mapping Agency).
WHAT IS THE VALUE OF AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS?
The value of aerial photography is that they provide a record of land use and have been used in courts-of-law as a record of the position of a river at a given date (to help determine land ownership as the river shifts its course), use of the land before the flooding behind a newly created dam, location of buildings, change in land use from forest to a cultivated area and to urban sprawl, etc. ASCS and SCS used aerial photos as the base upon which soil type boundaries are compiled, yielding soil surveys.
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WHO USES AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS?
Geographers, geologists, urban planners, farmers, agricultural land planners, land owners, lawyers, fishers, soil scientists, architects, anthropologists, and others.
WHERE CAN COPIES OF OKLAHOMA AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS BE LOCATED? Collections of Oklahoma aerial photographs can be found in a number of different locations around the state:
ODL Oklahoma Department of Libraries
200 N.E. 18th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
(405) 521-2502, (800) 522-8116
http://www.odl.state.ok.us/
OGS Oklahoma Geological Survey
Oklahoma Petroleum Information Center
2020 Industrial Blvd. Norman, OK 73069
(405) 325-1299, (800) 330-3996
http://www.ogs.ou.edu/level2-OPIC.php
OSU Oklahoma State University
Edmon Low Library
Stillwater, OK 74078
(405) 744-5000
http://www.library.okstate.edu/
OU University of Oklahoma
Bizzell Memorial Library
401 West Brooks
Norman, OK 73019
(405) 325-3141
http://libraries.ou.edu/
There is also a large, currently un-inventoried collection of aerial photographs at the Oklahoma History Center (800 Nazih Zuhdi, Oklahoma City, OK; 405-522-0765).
The holdings for the statewide aerial photographs date back to the 1930’s, with the OGS and OSU having more current sets. There is much overlap of holdings, but some holdings are unique. The negatives (in various physical condition) are legally held at the National Archives.
A previous statewide inventory of the aerial photographs was done by Steve L. Hiller, OSU Documents Librarian, in 1979.
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INVENTORY OF AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS
HELD IN OKLAHOMA LIBRARIES
November 2011
Jeffrey M. Wilhite, University of Oklahoma Government Documents Librarian
COUNTY
YEAR
Oklahoma Department of Libraries (ODL)
Oklahoma Geologic Survey (OGS)
Oklahoma State University (OSU)
University of Oklahoma (OU)
Adair
1939/1940
X
X
X
X
1952
X
1964
X
X
Alfalfa
1941/42
X
X
X
1954
X
1961
X
X
1966
X
X
1973
X
Atoka
1934
X
1935
X
1939/40
X
X
1949
X
1962
X
X
X
1968
X
1977
X
Beaver
1936
X
1941
X
X
X
1966
X
Beckham
1937
X (misc.)
1941
X
X
1950
X
X
1955
X
1966
X
1974
X
Blaine
1941
X
X
X
1951
X
X
X
1957
X
X
1964
X
X
1970
X
Bryan
1940
X
1947/48
X
X
1953
X
1962
X
X
1969
X
X
1974
X
1977
X
4
COUNTY
YEAR
ODL
OGS
OSU
OU
Caddo
1937
X
X
1940
X
X
X
X
1941
X
X
1948
X
1955
X
1956
X
1961
X
1966
X
X
1982
X
Canadian
1937
X
1941
X
X
X
X
1951
X
1957
X
1964
X
1970
X
Carter
1935
X
1936
X
1937
X
X
1939
X
1940
X
X
1949
X
X
X
1954
X
1956
X
1963
X
1969
X
Cherokee
1938
X
X
1958
X
1964
X
X
1974
X (misc.)
Choctaw
1942
X
1949
X
1955
X
1962
X
X
1969
X
X
1977
X
Cimarron
1942
X
X
X
1959
X
1960
X
1966
X
5
COUNTY
YEAR
ODL
OGS
OSU
OU
Cleveland
1937
X
X
X
1940
X
1943
X
1949
X
1951
X
X
X
1957
X
1963
X
X
1969
X
X
1975
X
Coal
1940
X
1949
X
X
1955
X
X
1956
X
1962
X
X
1968
X
1977
X
Comanche
1942
X
X
1950
X
1957
X (west only)
1961
X
X
1966
X
Cotton
1942
X
1950
X
1957
X
1964
X
1971
X
Craig
1935
X
1938
X
1941
X
X
X
X
1952
X
1958
X
X
X
1964
X
X
1972
X
Creek
1937
X
X
1937/38
X
1941
X
X
1956
X
X
X
1958
X
1969
X
Custer
1936
X
1938
X
1940
X
X
1955
X
X
1966
X
6
COUNTY
YEAR
ODL
OGS
OSU
OU
Delaware
1936
X
1939
X
X
X
1958
X
1964
X
Dewey
1938
X
1941
X
X
X
1951
X
X
1957
X
1964
X
1970
X
Ellis
1937
X
X
1951
X
X
1959
X
1965
X
X
1973
X
X
1981
X
Garfield
1937
X
X
1954
X
X
1966
X
1973
X
Garvin
1937
X
1940
X
X
1949
X
X
1956
X
1963
X
X
1969
X
X
Grady
1935
X
1937
X
1940
X
X
X
1948
X
X
1955
X
X
1962
X
1968
X
X
Grant
1937
X
1938
X
1941
X
X
X
X
1954
X
X
1966
X
X
1973
X
Greer
1941
X
1950
X
1957
X
X
X
1964
X
1970
X
7
COUNTY
YEAR
ODL
OGS
OSU
OU
Harmon
1937
X
1943
X
X
1950
X
1957
X
X
X
1964
X
1970
X
Harper
1937
X
X
1942
X
1951
X
X
1965
X
1973
X
Haskell
1939
X
X
1952
X
X
1964
X
1977
X
Hughes
1938
X
X
X
1939
X
1940
X
X
X
1948
X
1955
X
1956
X
1962
X
X
1968
X
X
1977
X
Jackson
1941
X
X
X
1950
X
1957
X
X
X
1964
X
X
1970
X
Jefferson
1937
X (misc.)
1939/40
X
X
1950
X
1957
X
X
1964
X
1971
X
X
Johnston
1937
X
1940
X
X
1949
X
1954
X
1963
X
X
1968
X
1977
X
8
COUNTY
YEAR
ODL
OGS
OSU
OU
Kay
1937
X
X
1938
X
X
X
1966
X
X
1973
X
1976
X
Kingfisher
1937
X
1951
X
1957
X
1964
X
1970
X
Kiowa
1937
X (misc.)
1940
X
1942
X
X
X
X
1957
X
X
1964
X
X
1970
X
1980
X
1982
X
Latimer
1940
X
X
1955
X
X
1967
X
X
1977
X
Leflore
1938
X
X
1952
X
X
1955
X
1963
X
X
1964
X
1967
X
X
1968
X
1969
X
1977
X
Lincoln
1937
X
X
1943
X
X
X
1951
X
1954
X
1961
X
X
1968
X
Logan
1937
X
X
X
X
1951
X
X
X
1957
X
1964
X
1970
X
9
COUNTY
YEAR
ODL
OGS
OSU
OU
Love
1940
X
1949
X
X
1954
X
1956
X
1963
X
1968
X
X
McClain
1937
X
1940
X
X
1949
X
X
1955
X
1956
X
1963
X
X
1969
X
McCurtain
1938
X
X
X
1939
X
1940
X
X
1955
X
1961
X
1963
X
1967
X
X
1969
X
X
1970
X
McIntosh
1938
X
X
1939
X
X
1940
X
1941
1949
X
X
X
1956
X
X
1967
X
1972
X (misc.)
1978
X
Major
1937
X
X
1942
X
X
X
X
1954
X
1966
X
X
1973
X
Marshall
1937
X
1938
X
1939
X
1940
X
1941
X
1942
X
X
X
1949
X
X
1950
X
1951
X
1952
X
1953
X
X
1954
X
1955
X
10
COUNTY
YEAR
ODL
OGS
OSU
OU
Marshall (cont.)
1956
X
X
1968
X
X
1972
X
Mayes
1935
X
X
1938
X
1940
X
X
1952
X
X
1958
X
X
1964
X
1972
X (misc.)
1973
X
Murray
1937
X
1940
X
1949
X
1956
X
1963
X
X
1969
X
X
Muskogee
1938
X
X
1941
X
X
X
1952
X
X
X
1964
X
X
1972
X
Noble
1937
X
X
X
1943
X
1954
X
1961
X
X
1966
X
X
1973
X
Nowata
1937
X
1941
X
X
X
X
1952
X
X
1958
X
1964
X
1972
X
Okfuskee
1937
X
X
1943
X
X
1954
X
X
1961
X
X
1968
X
Oklahoma
1937
X
1941
X
X
X
X
1951
X
X
X
1957
X
1963
X
1970
X
11
COUNTY
YEAR
ODL
OGS
OSU
OU
Okmulgee
1938
X
1941
X
X
1949
X
X
1956
X
1963
X
X
1970
X
Osage
1936/37
X
X
1937/38
X
X
1954
X
X
X
1961
X
1966
X
X
Ottawa
1939
X
X
X
X
1941
X
1964
X
1972
X
Pawnee
1938
X
X
X
1954
X
1958
X
1961
X
1966
X
X
Payne
1938
X
X
1949
X
X
1956
X
X
1963
X
1969
X
X
1979
X
Pittsburg
1935
X
1939
X
1948
X
1955
X
1962
X
X
1963
X
1967
X
1977
X
1978
X
Pontotoc
1938
X
X
1940
X
1949
X
X
1956
X
1969
X
X
1977
X
12
COUNTY
YEAR
ODL
OGS
OSU
OU
Pottawatomie
1937
X
X
1940
X
1941
X
1942
X
1943
X
X
X
1954
X
1956
X
1961
X
1968
X
X
Pushmataha
1935
X
1940
X
1942
X
1943
X
1955
X
X
1961
X
1967
X
1977
X
Red Oak
1940
X
Roger Mills
1935
X
1936
X
1937
X
1940
X
1941
X
1952
X
1955
X
X
1958
X
1964
X
1966
X
1972
X
1974
X
Rogers
1941/42
X
X
1952
X
1964
X
Seminole
1938
X
X
X
1948
X
1956
X
1963
X
X
1969
X
X
Sequoyah
1938
X
X
X
1952
X
1958
X
1964
X
X
1972
X
13
COUNTY
YEAR
ODL
OGS
OSU
OU
Stephens
1935
X
1936
X
1937
X
1940/41
X
X
1949
X
X
1956
X
X
X
1963
X
X
1969
X
Texas
1941/42
X
X
1959
X
1966
X
Tillman
1937
X
X
1942
X
X
1950
X
1957
X
X
X
1964
X
X
1971
X
Tulsa
1938
X
1943
X
1958
X
1964
X
X
Wagoner
1936
X
1937
X
1940
X
X
X
1952
X
X
X
1958
X
1964
X
X
Washington
1937
X
1941
X
X
X
1954
X
1961
X
1966
X
X
1973
X
Washita
1937
X
X
1940
X
X
1950
X
1955
X
1966
X
14
COUNTY
YEAR
ODL
OGS
OSU
OU
Woods
1937
X
X
1938
X
1939
X
1940
X
1941
X
1942
X
X
X
1951
X
X
1959
X
1965
X
1973
X
1979
X
Woodward
1937
X
X
X
1951
X
X
1965
X
1973
X
1981
X
Special Studies also available at OU:
-Arkansas River -Canadian River & North Canadian River
-Chickasha River -Cimarron River
-Grand River -Red River
-Verdigris River -Washita River Watershed
USE OF THE AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS:
*The photos are usually arranged by county, then year. The photos are marked with a flight
and frame number at the top of the photos, e.g., AQS-219. The date of the flight is
then printed in the opposite corner.
* The individual photos of each country were compiled into a composite mosaic photo that
shows the whole country and serves as an index for the individual photo sheets.
* One can use another map, such as a road map for orientation, to locate a specific point of
interest on the index, and then identify and find the corresponding photo sheet.
*Without the mosaic, finding a particular geographic area is difficult, but not impossible.
FOR THIS INVENTORY
The OU holdings were checked by hand, November 2011
OSU provided an inventory, November 2011
OGS provided an inventory, November 2011
The ODL holdings were drawn from this list: http://www.odl.state.ok.us/oar/docs/aerial.pdf
Oklahoma Digital Prairie: Documents, Images and Information
