Orange County Aerial Photograph Collection

The Orange County Aerial Photograph Collection (MS-R087) provides a unique bird’s eye perspective of Orange County during the first half of the 20th century. The collection consists of approximately 721 black-and-white aerial photographs of Orange County, California produced in 1938-1949 and 1965.  The photographs were produced for the USDA in conjunction with the Western Region Laboratory (1938), Agriculture Adjustment Administration (1942), Soil Conservation District of California (1952-1953) and Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation Service (1965).

Most of the photos measure approximately 9”x7”; however, the 1952-1953 and the 1965 series of photos measure 23”x23”. Several of the photos include hand written notes on the pages indicating street names and land purposing. Some of the identifiable areas are Santiago Canyon, Costa Mesa, Anaheim, Santa Ana, and Newport Beach. This collection is open for research and may provide important contextual information regarding regional land use and development including its relation to national surveys and projects such as the development of the interstate highway system.