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Aerial Photos: New York Rural History From Above

January 5, 2015 by Bill Casey 49 Comments

aerial photograph centered in Syracuse Onondaga County New York 1938Aerial photos can be helpful research tools for historians. Google Earth, which provides access to a vast collection of aerial photography stretching back 20 years, is just a sampling of the many aerial photos that have been made since French balloonist Gaspard-Félix Tournachon, known as “Nadar”, took a photo over Paris, France in 1858.

Much of New York Sate was photographed with the camera pointing straight down, an oblique presentation that is less useful to some historians. An effort to capture all of New York in an orthophotographic perspective (corrected to a uniform scale) started in 1936 with a contract to C.S. Robinson of Ithaca, NY. These images are particularly valuable resources for historians of all stripes.

Most county clerks will have the complete photo collection, but obtaining digital copies may be difficult. In a recent trip to the Cortland County Clerk’s Office, I discovered a tall stack of these photos. I asked about the opportunity to photograph them and was told that I could only purchase photocopies.

Another source for these photos is the US Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency. They have used these photos to map out farm crop areas and for environmental surveys and have held onto many of the oldest collections. The public domain photos for the Cayuga, Cortland, Onondaga, Seneca, Tompkins and Wayne counties are available online at Cornell University.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAGoogle Earth 2012 View of Casey Farm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the ending of World War II, a few pilots began photographing rural farms and homes in a low angle (oblique) perspective. These efforts were in the hopes that the rural land owner would want to purchase an image. The photographer would develop the photo and venture door to door displaying a photograph. If they did not make a sale, the prints would be destroyed. Many photographers also did not archive the negatives if the prints did not sell. There are two photographers that did retain their negative collections.

Vintage Aerial has digitized many of their 25 million photos and has developed a website that allows a salesperson to display the collection on your computer. By going to their website at VintageAerial.com, you can enter in your location and a salesperson will make an appointment to display the photos of your property along with those in the general area. If you are quick with the cut and paste, you can capture history while you are taken on a tour of the surrounding properties. Some major drawbacks to their collection are that the photos start in 1980 in New York State and the prices that they charge are quite high.

DeWolf stampAnother major aerial photographer was Henry DeWolf, the proprietor of the company Aerial Surveys. DeWolf was actively photographing from 1950 to 1978 and the majority of his early work was in New York State.

DeWolf’s collection consists of over two million negatives. Anyone owning one of these photos can still purchase reprints at very reasonable prices, so long as the photo has a photo number written on the back (the collection was never indexed and cannot be searched). I am attempting to develop an index by requesting those who hold Aerial Surveys photos to share with me the photo location and number. My email contact information is listed below. With the help of many contributors, I have started an index online here.

Below is a “Farm History” established using aerial surveys to provide an idea of the kind of details that can be discovered using these unique photographs. This first photo was taken prior to 1950 by either Aerial Survey or Mason Bros Flying Service.

1950 Casey Farm Aerial Surveys or Mason Bros Air PhotoThis next photo taken on Sept 7, 1957 by Aerial Surveys.

1957 Casey Farm reprinted from Aerial Surveys PhotoAnd this one on July 30, 1968, again by Aerial Surveys

1968 Casey Farm reprinted from Aerial Survey Photo 5x3And a final one taken in 2009 by American Aerial Scenes.

SONY DSCPhotos above: An aerial photograph taken in 1938 showing Syracuse in Onondaga County and the Casey Farm in 1936 (left) and via Google Earth in 2012 (right). Photos by Aerial Surveys and American Aerial Scenes reprinted with permission.

 

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Filed Under: History, Nature Tagged With: Agricultural History, Architecture, Cayuga County, Cortland County, Environmental History, Gardens - Landscape Architecture, Online Resources, Onondaga County, Photography, Seneca County, Tompkins County, Wayne County

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. toga says

    January 5, 2015 at 7:43 PM

    Saratoga County photos from the US Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency are on line through Skidmore College. The jpg image may not be the best – Contact Soil and Water office at 518.885.6900 to see the actual photos.

    https://www.skidmore.edu/wri/aerial/1948.php

    Reply
  2. Roberta says

    January 6, 2015 at 9:21 AM

    Your attempt to index DeWolf’s collection is to be congratulated and the farm history series of photos shown is very interesting.

    But I have seen earlier aerial postcards of farms and villages in our area. Does “aerial” mean that the subject is seen from above or that the photographer was airborne? I’m reasonably sure that our Mr. Tucker [and his horse and buggy] was not airborne.

    Reply
  3. Walter R. Wheeler says

    January 6, 2015 at 10:02 AM

    The New York State Archives has digitized a collection (approximately 2053 negatives) of aerial photographs taken in New York State by Fairchild Aerial Surveys, Inc. during 1941-57. The collection in its entirety is available online here: http://iarchives.nysed.gov/PubImageWeb/listCollections.jsp?id=67356

    Reply
  4. Christopher K. Philippo says

    February 4, 2015 at 10:05 AM

    http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov has a lot of aerial images; be sure to click the “Data Sets” tab and click the checkbox for at least “Aerial Photo Single Frames”. For most locations that I’ve looked at so far images only go back to 1952, but I did see one from the 1940s.

    I’ve seen a commercial website that takes USGS’ topographical maps and aerial photos that stamps their own copyright on those images and charges people for copies without the copyright watermark. Presumably the people who use that site and pay for the images don’t realize they’re free on USGS’ website!

    Reply
  5. Paul Mays says

    August 6, 2015 at 6:04 PM

    I have a aerial survey photo taken by Henry DeWolf ( business stamp as above) # D – 666 – 297, I would like to know what year it was taken, I’m thinking mid 70’s, But I would like to know for sure. Thanks Paul Mays,

    Reply
  6. Mark Parker says

    September 28, 2015 at 3:50 PM

    Bill, As you know I use to work for Henry DeWolf Aerial Surveys back in the early 70s until I started my own bussness America Aerial Scenes in 1978. I had sold many of Henrys aerials all over the Northeast and he even had me and some others guys out in Arizona a couple winters selling. At the end of each week I would mail in all my sales on a specific cash out sheet with the photo # and the customers name who purchased the photograph along with the persons address. So unless Joyce tossed out all of those old salesmans sheets (which she probably did) the addresses of those customers were all written down so they could be refered back to as far as where the farm or that penticular price of property was located. In the past few years I use Lat and Long coordinates so it makes it much easier finding the properties. Henry would write down where the name of the town, village and where the roll would start and usually start with an over shot of the town and say what roads and little towns were encompassed on that certain roll and where the roll would end. If he had to make a jump to a different area because he backed himself into a corner or ran out of subject matter in that penticular area he would take a general overall shot of something that someone would recognize maybe a four corners or something similar (we refered to those as indicator shots) and resume shooting from there. If we had a problem finding a place all we would do would be to ask the previous customer you sold to where the next pic would be and most likely it’s there neighbor a short distance away. The farmers usually always could help you out in locating a place you had a tough time finding because they all knew there neighbors back in those days. The cameras that Aerial Surveys used would hold 100′ foot rolls of double perforated film so they would get 530 shots per roll and each photo was numbered from #1 to #530. The theory was once you found the 1st photo on the roll the following image would be the next place down the road and so on and so forth because they were shot in sequence. Basically what the salesman was doing when he was out there selling these pics was just following the track of the airplane when it originally flew the photo mission. Now days we use GPS. Much easier. So ask Joyce if she happens to still have any of those old salesmans cash out sheets and if she still does BINGO. I guarantee they will identify where a lot of these
    images live and who knows maybe I was the salesmen who originally sold it many years and years ago. I hope this helps you to identify some of these lost aerial photographs. Good luck, Mark Parker/American Aerial Scenes
    Pompey, New York

    Reply
    • Victoria says

      July 25, 2017 at 8:31 PM

      Hello there!
      I have recently found a family photo of the old farm and would love to see if any copies are kicking around. The picture was taken in Columbia county New York. It was taken of a farm in east Chatham New York. My family owned it. The back of the picture has the numbers 568-200. I wasn’t sure if you would possibly remember it or if it was even around that time or possibly before. Any info would be great. Thanks so much!

      Reply
    • Dan says

      March 19, 2019 at 1:26 PM

      Hi Mark,
      I posted a question back on 4/1/18 with no response to date. See below:
      “Good afternoon, Like many of the post before mine I am looking for De Wolf aerial photos of my grandparents farm and adjacent properties in northwest NJ, Sussex county. I have several photos in poor condition with series of hand written numbers all beginning with 640-.
      Can anyone help me find the archives of these photos?”
      Any possibility of you having knowledge of photos of flight/roll 640 ?
      Thanks,
      Dan

      Reply
      • Mark Parker says

        October 23, 2019 at 8:17 AM

        Dan, I just saw your post. That sounds like American Aerial Scenes Photo # and probably is. What’s throwing me is there stamp AAS should be on the back of the print itself assuming there originals.
        Mark Parker American Aerial Scenes
        315-436-1682

        Reply
        • Dan says

          October 24, 2019 at 11:11 AM

          Hi Mark, Thank you so much for your response and including your phone number! I’ll keep you posted. Thank you again,
          Dan

          Reply
        • Dan says

          November 17, 2019 at 10:17 AM

          Hi Mark, Thanks again for Joyce’s phone number (585) 663-8231. I’ve left three messages to date with no return call. I’ve also sent an email as their outgoing message suggested. No reply to that yet. Here is the email address should others like to contact De Wolf Aerial Surveys: aerialsurveys@rochester.rr.com,
          Have a happy Thanksgiving! Dan

          Reply
    • Keith Santspree says

      February 2, 2020 at 11:00 AM

      Hi Mark!
      My name is Keith Santspree, I live in Rochester, NY. I recently purchased a framed print from an antiques vendor and it had a “hidden” Dewolf print behind it. I would like to identify it and possibly get in the hands of some interested party. Any suggestions as to how to proceed? Thanks!

      Reply
    • Maureen Mesisca says

      August 15, 2020 at 4:02 PM

      Dear Mark,
      Doing a little research and came across your above e mail. My uncle purchased a picture which we can not find. However, he wrote down all the information. Aerial Surveys, 106 Silverdale Drive, Rochester, NyY I believe the photographer was Henry DeWolf. The picture was taken in September of 1973 of Sea Isle City. Picture number is C-786185. Would you be able to help me track this down to get a copy? Thanks in advance and hope to hear from you.
      Sincerely,
      Maureen Mesisca, NJ

      Reply
    • Keeley Woodworth says

      November 1, 2020 at 8:55 PM

      Thanks for sharing! Very interesting!

      Reply
  7. Chris Pawelski says

    December 6, 2015 at 5:09 PM

    We have one and would love a digital download of it. It is of Pawelski Farms in Orange County, NY. Circa 1978. It has a number of M 668-441. I can email you a pic of there photo and the info on the back. My email address is evep@warwick.net.

    THX!

    C

    Reply
  8. Mary says

    September 1, 2016 at 8:21 AM

    We have an old photo and have been looking to get another of it or at least find out the date it was taken.
    The number on the back is C278-72. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

    Reply
  9. John Springer says

    September 22, 2016 at 7:00 AM

    Good morning. I have two undated color Henry DeWolf aerial photos that appear to be from the ’60s to mid ’70s. M810 140 depicts a view of the southern half of the Village of Port Jefferson. Yuo can see Main and East Main Street, the former First National Bank of Port Jefferson building (on the National Register of Historical Places) and other prominent structures still in use today. The second one, M810 138 depicts the waterfront of Port Jefferson Harbor. It shows the Port Jefferson ferry dock and the lot where Danfords Hotel and Marina now stands. I’m interested to know if the index numbers would help identify other aerial views of Port Jefferson Village from this flight that we might view and possible purchase for our historical society?

    Reply
  10. Renee Charbonneau says

    January 5, 2017 at 8:19 AM

    Hello! I have torn photograph of my childhood home with Henry DeWolf’s info on the back and would love to get more copies made for my family or somehow obtain a scan of the entire photo.
    Info is as follows: HU-2-5564. And handwritten on the top is “660-16”.
    Can anyone help me with my request?

    Reply
    • Mark Parker says

      October 24, 2019 at 10:14 PM

      Renee, Try calling JOYCE (585) 663-8231

      Mark Parker/American Aerial Scenes
      315-436-1682

      Reply
  11. Jane Herman says

    February 28, 2017 at 2:23 PM

    Hello – We had a photo that was taken around 1977 – 1978 hanging on the wall in the home where I grew up. In 2015, my mom sold the house and moved to Florida. The movers we hired were not good people and delivered only 50% of my moms boxes (all of which were smashed) and unfortunately, the picture was not there. I’ve been trying to find the photographer who took the picture and I suspect it may be Henry DeWolf or you. The property was in Catskill, NY (Greene County). I know I’m grasping at straws but I figured that this is worth a try. Any advice or direction would be welcome. Thank you!!!!

    Reply
  12. Alan Meyers says

    April 4, 2017 at 9:22 PM

    Henry DeWolf Photo # T40-5

    Address:
    Rural Route 2
    Shippensburg, PA 17357
    Cumberland County
    Penn Township

    The photograph I have is a black & white of my grandfather’s farm. The farm was approx. 150 acres. The photo shows the house, barn and out-buildings and there are some vehicles in the photo too. My parent’s 53 acre farm where I grew up was right next to my grandfathers and I WOULD LOVE to buy a photo of my home place if by any chance it was also photographed along with an enlarged photo of my grandfather’s farm.

    Reply
  13. Corey kennedy says

    January 30, 2018 at 1:56 PM

    Hi, my family has an aerial photo from henry dewolf anf am trying to determine a date. The number on the back are as follows: M714 (printed), and 366 (written).

    Also, any chance of obtaining a digital copy?

    This print is of the Wetherby Farm on west street in fair haven, VT.

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • mark parker says

      October 23, 2019 at 8:27 AM

      Cory, That was taken around 1976 – 1977. I worked that roll years ago. Regards, Mark Parker / American Aerial Scenes 315-436-1682

      Reply
      • Corey says

        November 25, 2019 at 7:08 AM

        Thank you Mark!

        Reply
  14. Dan McCool says

    April 1, 2018 at 1:00 PM

    Good afternoon, Like may of the post before mine I am looking for De Wolf aerial photos of my grandparents farm and adjacent properties in northwest NJ, Sussex county. I have several photos in poor condition with series of hand written numbers all beginning with 640-.
    Can anyone help me find the archives of these photos?
    Thank you,
    Dan

    Reply
  15. Sandra Green says

    August 2, 2018 at 9:09 PM

    I would like to request a reprint of an aerial photo taken by Henry DeWolf which I believe was taken between 1950-1954. The photo is of the Ingersoll Farm, South Otselic, NY. I believe the photo number is 25-85. There is also another number on the back which is 2650. I believe it reads H.A. Milton 2650 but is not very legible.

    Please advise if this is obtainable.

    Reply
  16. Bob Thomas says

    August 30, 2018 at 11:09 AM

    SUNY Oneonta has aerial photos taken in 1936 and 1937 by C.S. Robinson Aerial for the US Dept of Agriculture. They are available on line at this link. The photos have been organized by town and/or village.

    https://www.oneonta.edu/faculty/baumanpr/APTEST/Otsego%20County%20Main.htm

    Reply
  17. Richard A Winder says

    January 6, 2019 at 4:04 PM

    I have an old B&W photo of a family farm and would like to order some reprints of it. It has the number 140-124, it is from the late 50’s to early 60’s. The farm is located in Watsontown, PA.

    Reply
  18. Reginald Neale says

    January 24, 2019 at 11:56 AM

    I think a book about Henry DeWolf would be interesting. I have written local history books for Arcadia Publishing IMAGES OF AMERICA series. Are there resources available that would support a book about Henry’s life and career?

    Reply
  19. Mary Walker says

    May 2, 2019 at 7:13 PM

    I have a photo of my husband Granddaddy’s farm and home place with a number on the back. Can you tell how to get another print of this aerial taken by Henry DeWolf?

    Reply
    • Mark Parker says

      October 24, 2019 at 10:22 PM

      Mary, if you’re still looking for the aerial photograph try this number JOYCE (585) 663-8231

      Mark Parker
      American Aerial Scenes LLC
      http://www.americanaerialscenes.com
      315-436-1682

      Reply
  20. Dave Schanz says

    June 25, 2019 at 12:19 PM

    I have two photos of our family farm. 550-136 and 550-138.’located in Berne, N Y, Could I get date of photos from you

    Reply
    • Mark Parker says

      October 23, 2019 at 8:41 AM

      Dave, Aerial Surveys would always STAMP the 1st. Part of the photo #. example M123 – 45
      Look closely and determine if there is a stamped letter letter and # before the written one. If there’s NO STAMPED Letter and # on back it possibly might be America Aerial Scenes Photograph.
      Mark Parker
      315-436-1682

      Reply
  21. Jeannine says

    August 20, 2019 at 8:21 PM

    Just got a copy of our property photographed back in the 50s from a prior owner. We are wondering if there are more pics in that roll.

    296-185
    Newport, NY

    Reply
    • Mark Parker says

      October 23, 2019 at 8:46 AM

      Jeannine, There probably are more pics on that roll but not necessarily more of your property.
      That sounds like my photo by the #.
      Mark Parker
      American Aerial Scenes
      315-436-1682

      Reply
  22. Jim Giarrusso says

    November 23, 2019 at 1:41 PM

    Mark – Even though our photo says Henry Dewolfe in the back, I’m sensing you might have actually shot it? About 1977-78. Roll and picture says M339 182

    Would love to find out about reprints.

    Thank you for your courtesies!

    Reply
  23. Jeff Sterling says

    January 10, 2020 at 8:14 PM

    I have a Henry DeWolf photo that I would like to purchase a copy of. The number on the back is C-125-39. It was taken in Florida, along the Indian River North of Melbourne, some time in the early 1960s.

    Reply
  24. Jeffrey A Skibenes says

    April 1, 2020 at 4:28 PM

    I have a photo taken by Mr. DeWolf in the summer of 1963. The photo number is hand written: C102-206. It is of my grandparents house and barn. The address then was RD #1 Cattaraugus, New York 14719. Although technically I think the property was just inside Mansfield township. Grandparents were Marshall & Jean Farnham.

    Reply
  25. Roy H German says

    May 18, 2020 at 5:29 PM

    I have photo stamped with D 335 then handwriting number 201 that was taken in Marin County in 1980 and I was hoping to find a copy of it. Any help would be appreciated.

    Regards.

    Reply
  26. Anthony DiVeronica says

    August 27, 2020 at 10:33 PM

    I have a photo stamped M820 with a hand written 129 on the back. I am hoping to buy a few prints. I can supply pictures of the stamp if needed. The photo is from 1980 of 106 Shawnese Dr in Harveys Lake, PA.

    Reply
  27. Jane Herman says

    September 21, 2020 at 3:32 PM

    Hello Keith – can you post a picture of the picture? I’ve been looking for a photo of the house where I grew up that was stolen during my mom’s move south. I know it’s a long shot but worth a try.

    Thank you,
    Jane

    Reply
  28. Peg Bondor says

    September 23, 2020 at 5:21 AM

    I have 2 DeWolf photos from 1955. They are numbers 190-112 and 190-97. They are of my property. 121 Slosson Lane, Geneva, New York

    Reply
  29. Shirley Weight Gates says

    October 27, 2020 at 4:00 PM

    Aerial Surveys
    Henry DeWolf
    Aerial photographer
    245 Randolph St
    Hamilton 2650 Rochester 21, N.Y.

    Photo # 71-69
    # 71-79
    George Weight farms
    Bellefonte Pa. 16823

    Any info please for copies?
    Shirley Weight Gates

    Reply
  30. Keeley Woodworth says

    November 1, 2020 at 9:10 PM

    I have interest in reprints of a Henry DeWolf. Serial number C531-118
    Thank you for your time!

    Reply
  31. Liao says

    November 2, 2020 at 9:25 PM

    Please send any information on how to find copies of Aerial Surveys D-399-145
    Delaware
    Thank You

    Reply
  32. Mike Worth says

    November 8, 2020 at 12:09 PM

    Does anyone know where I could find aerials of Greene Couunty NY, specifically the Town of Hunter and surrounding area? I would want this for the 1930s-50s

    Also Delaware County — Roxbury NY area.

    Thanks

    Reply
  33. Derek Kerley says

    November 29, 2020 at 3:32 PM

    I have a Henry Dewolf aerial survey photo of my family’s business (Kerley Motor Company) taken around 1970. The business is a used car business located in Alexander City, Alabama. The number on the back of the photo is C496-139. I would like to get copies of this or a digital photo.

    Reply
  34. Jeffrey LaDuca says

    January 6, 2021 at 1:40 PM

    I am interested in finding photos of Onondaga County from before 1960
    Specifically the area in Dewitt NY where Route 5 and Route 92 intersect.
    (Erie Blvd and Genesee Street)
    Any tips would be greatly appreciated!!!
    Jeff LaDuca
    laduca98@yahoo.com
    315-730-3777

    Reply
  35. Nicole Powers says

    January 10, 2021 at 10:51 AM

    I am trying to get in contact with someone about an aerial survey of our house that we have. It was stamped with an Aerial Surveys Henery DeWolf stamp. It also has a had written number of M268-74. We are trying to figure out the structural history of the house and photos would help if there are any more. Thank you!

    Reply

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