Aerial Photograph Collection
The Map Library has a collection of historical aerial photographs of Colorado, taken from 1938 through the 1970s. The collection consists of about 20,000 photographs in print and on film. The collection was a working collection used for teaching and research in the CU Geography Department and was donated to the Map Library in 2001.
In a collaborative project with the University Libraries Systems Department and Cataloging Department, the Map Library has scanned, georeferenced, cataloged, and created an online searchable interface for 1,700 of these aerial photographs.
The bulk of the collection is uncataloged and un-indexed. The Map Library requires two weeks to respond to inquiries about photographs for specific areas. The public, including UCB affiliates, will not be allowed to browse the collection in person except with special permission from the Map Library staff. Please call 303-492-7578 to make an appointment to see the collection. This will be considered an archival collection and will remain non-circulating even when it is fully indexed.
Other Resources for Aerial Images
The Map Library has USGS digital orthophoto quadrangles for the Front Range area of Colorado, mostly taken in the 1990s. These are on CD and are searchable in Chinook by a keyword search for "'USGS 7.5' quad name' and DOQQ". The Library has a small collection of print satellite photographs and aerial views of selected national and international cities that can be searched in Chinook.
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