Source information for Minnesota aerial photography holdings in the Borchert Map Library
Back to Aerial Photography in the Borchert Map Library
The aerial photography holdings in the Borchert Map Library were produced by the agencies listed below. Further informtion about their various products and programs, including ordering information, can be found on each agency's Web site
Federal Agencies | State Agencies | Regional Agencies | Private Agencies
FEDERAL AGENCIES
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to go to a link
USDA Farm Service Agency Aerial Photography Field Office
Primary source of aerial imagery for the United States Department of Agriculture
with over 10,000,000 images; imagery dates from 1955 to present
- ASCS - Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service
The ASCS has acquired aerial photography of Minnesota on a county wide basis since 1935 for use in crop and farm acreage analysis and the implementation of disaster programs. All counties in Minnesota were flown during the first years of the program; from 1940 through 1976 the ASCS has obtained flights on a five to ten year interval for counties with a predominate economic base in agriculture - FS - Forest Service
The Superior and Chippewa National Forests in Minnesota were flown by the National Forest Service. This imagery is utilized for timber inventory, timber management and for wildlife resources, recreation areas as well as other Forestry related facilities - FSA - Farm Service Agency
These 35 mm color slides were donated by various Minnesota county USDA Farm Service Agency offices - NAPP - National Aerial Photography Program
This series of photos are part of the National Aerial Photography Program under the Department of Agriculture. The Borchert Map Library has a complete set of photos covering the entire state of Minnesota. These photos are color infrared spring photography at a scale of 1:40,000 flown during 1991 and 1992
USGS - U.S. Geological Survey home
- Digital Orthophoto Quadrangles
Provides an explanation of DOQs and how to obtain them from the USGS - Digital Orthophoto Quadrangles (USGS Fact Sheet 057-11, May
2001)
An overview of the production of and uses for USGS DOQs - Looking for an old aerial photograph (USGS Fact Sheet 127-96,
May 1997)
Fact sheet on finding old aerial photography - PhotoFinder
The "quick and easy way to find and order Aerial Photos" from USGS
National Archives Cartographic and Architectural Records
The National Archives holdings include aerial imagery of Minnesota from
the mid-1930s to 1954; while these items are not available online, information
about ordering reproductions is available here
STATE AGENCIES
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to go to a link
DNR - Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
The DNR has photographed most of the counties in Minnesota with significant
amounts of forest cover. The DNR uses this imagery in the identification
of tree species and the density of vegetative cover in forested areas
- Airphotos Online
Providies direct access to the most recent color infrared aerial photographs taken by Minnesota DNR for forest management - DNR Data Deli
Provides easy access to a wide variety of spatial data to the Minnesota GIS community at no cost, within the constraints of the Minnesota DNR GIS Data License Agreement; includes FSA and USGS land imagery - ForNet Applications
Collction of applications allowing users to view maps and satellite images of Minnesota; includes the Boundary Waters Blowdown Pages, Airphotos Online, Minnesota Wildfire Information Center, the MapMobile, ImageView, ForestView, and ChangeView
MNDOT - Minnesota Department of Transportation
Most of MNDOT's aerial photo coverage is highway strip photography with
larger coverage flown for highway junctions and cities. MNDOT contracts
for this aerial photography in conjunction with various engineering and
highway studies and surveys
REGIONAL AGENCIES
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to go to a link
MC - Metropolitan Council
The regional planning agency serving the Twin Cities seven-county metropolitan
area and providing essential services to the region. The Metropolitan Council
obtained aerial photographic coverage of the seven county metropolitan area
for the years 1966, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1980, 1987, 1990 and 1997 for land-use
planning. They also provide digital orthophotography (DOQs) of the seven-county
metropolitan area from 2000 - present via GIS
at the Metropolitan Council
PRIVATE AGENCIES
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to go to a link
CEWA - Williams Aerial & Mapping, Inc.
Williams Aerial & Mapping, Inc. (part of the professional engineering
company Clyde E. Williams & Associates, Inc.) is a full service photogrammetric
mapping and photographic laboratory firm located in South Bend Indiana
H - Horizons, Inc.
Horizons is an air photo contractor specializing in providing end-to-end,
leading edge photogrammetric and remote sensing services for environmental
and engineering applications
MH - Markhurd
Markhurd is an aerial mapping contractor with holdings that cover most areas
throughout the state of Minnesota at various scales and years. Most of this
coverage is available to the public