Illinois Historical Aerial Photographs: 1936 to 1941 v.2

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Frequently-anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title: Illinois Historical Aerial Photographs: 1936 to 1941 v.2
Abstract:
This data set consists of historical black and white aerial photographs from Illinois acquired during 1936 to 1941. The original paper prints have been scanned and stored as TIFF format images. The online images available are MrSID format images in which the original TIFF files have been compressed at a target ratio of 12:1 with the exception of six counties. Gallatin, Hardin, Pope, Saline, Williamson and Winnebago Counties were compressed at a target ratio of 6:1. The original photographic paper prints are at a scale 1:20,000.
Supplemental_Information:
HISTORY OF THE PROJECT: On May 12, 1933, President Franklin Roosevelt signed into law the Agricultural Adjustment Act, which was originally administered by the USDA-AAA. Since the mid-1930s, the USDA-AAA, now the USDA Farm Services Agency (USDA-FSA), periodically acquired nationwide aerial photographs by county. These aerial photographs were originally used by the USDA-AAA to assess the nation's agricultural lands and served as the basis for the national soil surveys.

Statewide coverage of USDA-AAA aerial photographs was first achieved for Illinois from 1936 through 1941. Approximately 33,000 individual frames were acquired for complete coverage of the state.

Negatives of the prints for Illinois, and 12 other states, were destroyed at the National Archives sometime during the 1970's. No formal reason has been given by the National Archives to explain the destruction of the negatives. One possibility could be deterioration and stability issues of the original 7-inch by 9-inch and 9-inch by 9-inch nitrocellulose (silver nitrate) negatives. The United States Navy and the National Archives made small-format copies of the negatives prior to the destruction of the original negatives. So far, the prints that project staff have encountered, that were made from these small-format copies, have been of extremely poor quality. Therefore, photographic paper prints made from the original large-format negatives are the best remaining representation of this aerial photography collection.

Two, nearly complete, photographic paper print collections exist for Illinois. The first collection, originally at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Office of Water Resources (IDNR OWR), is currently held at the Illinois State Library (ISL)). The second collection, is archived at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (UIUC) Map and Geography Library. Smaller regional print collections are also located at many Illinois libraries and governmental agencies. None of the collections are complete, however, and only limited preservation efforts are in place to ensure the permanence of these print collections.

  1. How should this data set be cited?

    Illinois State Geological Survey, Unpublished Material, Illinois Historical Aerial Photographs: 1936 to 1941 v.2: Illinois State Geological Survey, Champaign, Illinois.

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -91.512817
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -87.483350
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 42.564692
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 36.911398

  3. What does it look like?

  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

    Beginning_Date: 1936
    Ending_Date: 1941
    Currentness_Reference: publication date

  5. What is the general form of this data set?

    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: raster digital data

  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?

    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?

      This is a Raster data set. It contains the following raster data types:

      • Dimensions, type Pixel

    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?

      This local coordinate system was used: These data are not geometrically corrected.

      Not Applicable

      The horizontal datum used is none.
      The ellipsoid used is none.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is none.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/none.

  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

    Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
    These data have no entity attributes associated with them. There are however naming conventions that were applied to the file name based on annotations visible on the photos. Photographs were scanned with the north direction oriented up. Counties flown west to east have annotation at the left side of the print. Counties flown north to south have annotation at the top of the print. Naming conventions for the digital files include codes for county, film roll number, and exposure number; zeros are used as placeholders. Flight line information is not included in the file naming conventions or the annotations.

    Annotation example from file "0bwq04036.sid": 11-15-38 12:30 AAA SCALE 1:20,000 BWQ 4-36 

    11-15-38 = date (November 15th, 1938)
12:30 = time (12:30 pm Central Standard Time)
AAA = abbreviation for Agricultural Adjustment Administration
SCALE 1:20,000 = scale
     (1 unit on the photo equals 20,000 units on the ground)
BWQ = county code (BWQ represents Cook County)
4-36 = film roll-exposure number (film roll = 4, exposure = 36)
    Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation: none

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)

  2. Who also contributed to the data set?

     Funding source:   Institute of Museum and Library Sciences (IMLS)
 Funding source:   Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT)
 Funding source:   Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)
 Funding source:   IDNR Office of Water Resources (IDNR OWR)
 Funding source:   United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
 Funding source:   Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS)
 Funding source:   Winnebago County Geographic Information System (WinGIS)
 Funding source:   Lake County Department of Planning, Building and Development
 Data automation:  Deette Lund, Sheena Beaverson, project staff
 GIS processing:   Deette Lund, Sheena Beaverson
 Documentation:    Deette Lund, Donald Luman
 QA/QC:            Deette Lund

  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?

    Illinois State Geological Survey
    Information Office
    615 East Peabody Drive
    Champaign, Illinois 61820
    USA

    217-333-4747 (voice)
    217-244-0802 (FAX)
    isgs@isgs.uiuc.edu

    Hours_of_Service: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday, U.S. Central Time

Why was the data set created?

United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Adjustment Administration (USDA-AAA) aerial photographs are widely recognized as a unique and detailed record of the cultural and physical landscapes of Illinois. USDA-AAA photography is intensively used for diverse purposes by government agencies, surveyors, planners, consulting scientists, engineers and other individuals. These purposes include determination of past land uses, restoration of natural areas, assessing historical changes in stream dynamics, and a variety of other applications.

These data have not been geometrically corrected.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

    Not Applicable (source 1 of 6)
    USDA-AAA, Unpublished Material, Illinois Historical Aerial Photographs 1936 to 1941: IDNR OWR, Springfield, Illinois.

    Other_Citation_Details:
    Collection currently archived at the Illinois State Library (ISL) in Springfield, Illinois.
    Type_of_Source_Media: paper
    Source_Scale_Denominator: 20,000
    Source_Contribution:
    Primary collection from which a majority of the historical aerial photographs were acquired.

    Not Applicable (source 2 of 6)
    USDA-AAA, Unpublished Material, Illinois Historical Aerial Photographs 1936 to 1941: UIUC Map and Geography Library, Urbana, Illinois.

    Other_Citation_Details: Non-circulating collection.
    Type_of_Source_Media: paper
    Source_Scale_Denominator: 20,000
    Source_Contribution:
    Secondary collection from which historical aerial photographs were acquired. This collection was used when photographs from the primary source at OWR were not available or in an unusable condition.

    Not Applicable (source 3 of 6)
    USDA-AAA, Unpublished Material, Illinois Historical Aerial Photographs 1936 to 1941: USDA FSA, Peoria, Illinois.

    Type_of_Source_Media: paper
    Source_Scale_Denominator: 20,000
    Source_Contribution:
    Secondary collection from which historical aerial photographs were acquired. This collection was used when photographs from the primary source at OWR were not available or in an unusable condition.

    Not Applicable (source 4 of 6)
    USDA-AAA, Unpublished Material, Illinois Historical Aerial Photographs 1936 to 1941: Lake County Planning Department, Waukegan, Illinois.

    Type_of_Source_Media: paper
    Source_Scale_Denominator: 20,000
    Source_Contribution:
    Secondary collection from which historical aerial photographs were acquired. This collection was used when photographs from the primary source at OWR were not available or in an unusable condition.

    Not Applicable (source 5 of 6)
    USDA-AAA, Unpublished Material, Illinois Historical Aerial Photographs 1936 to 1941: Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC) Morris Library, Carbondale, Illinois.

    Other_Citation_Details: Non-circulating collection.
    Type_of_Source_Media: paper
    Source_Scale_Denominator: 20,000
    Source_Contribution:
    Secondary collection from which historical aerial photographs were acquired. This collection was used when photographs from the primary source at OWR were not available or in an unusable condition.

    Not Applicable (source 6 of 6)
    USDA-AAA, Unpublished Material, Illinois Historical Aerial Photographs 1936 to 1941: Western Illinois University (WIU) Leslie F. Malpass Library, Macomb, Illinois.

    Other_Citation_Details: Non-circulating collection.
    Type_of_Source_Media: paper
    Source_Scale_Denominator: 20,000
    Source_Contribution:
    Secondary collection from which historical aerial photographs were acquired. This collection was used when photographs from the primary source at OWR were not available or in an unusable condition.

  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

    Date: 2001 (process 1 of 5)
    PHOTO INVENTORY: A spreadsheet was created for each county containing information for each photograph, including digital file name, flight line, county name, USDA county code, roll and exposure numbers, agency which contributed the original photographic paper print for scanning, acquisition date, time flown (if available), CD-ROM on which the original file is stored at the ISGS, and any additional notes. These county tables were then joined to the attribute tables for the County Index Data Layer files.

    Date: 2001 (process 2 of 5)
    SCANNING METHODOLOGY (2001-2004): This methodology was employed for 45 counties that were scanned between 2001 and 2004. These counties include Adams, Brown, Bureau, Calhoun, Cass, Champaign, Clark, Clinton, Coles, Cook, Cumberland, DuPage, Fulton, Greene, Grundy, Hancock, Jersey, Johnson, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, Lake, LaSalle, Madison, Marshall, Mason, McHenry, Morgan, Monroe, Peoria, Pike, Pulaski, Putnam, St. Clair, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Stark, Tazewell, Union, Vermilion, Washington, Will, and Woodford Counties.

    Quantitative testing of the image detail present on the paper emulsion of the prints was conducted to determine the optimum scanning resolution and grayscale range. It was found that little additional detail was gained by scanning at a resolution greater than above 750 dpi. An 8-bit grayscale range was sufficient to reproduce all of the information preserved upon each photographic paper print. If the original large-format film negatives were available, the images could have been digitized using higher dpi values at an increased grayscale range.

    It is also imperative that each print in the collection be digitized only once to ensure cost effectiveness and minimize the exposure of each photographic paper print to the stresses of transport, preparation, handling, and digitization. An objective evaluation of several scanning systems was performed through a series of tests using a standard 20-step density wedge, circular target, fine gridlines, and an original 1938 aerial photography paper print. Based upon the results of this analysis, a Crosfield 646 IE drum scanning system was selected for the digitization procedures. The Crosfield scanning system was found to best maintain the original grayscale range and geometry of the original photographic paper print. Digitization procedures for these 45 counties within the ILHAP project were conducted by Scantech Color Systems, Inc. of Champaign, Illinois.

    Photographs were scanned with the north direction oriented up. Counties flown west to east have annotation at the left side of the print. Counties flown north to south have annotation at the top of the print. The photographs possess an average of 60% endlap and 30% sidelap; adjacent photographs are suitable for stereoscopic viewing.

    Date: 2005 (process 3 of 5)
    SCANNING METHODOLOGY (2005-2006): This methodology was employed for 6 counties that were scanned during 2005 and 2006. These counties include Gallatin, Hardin, Pope, Saline, Williamson, and Winnebago Counties.

    Due to a change in vendors a Crosfield Celsis 6200 drum scanning system was used for the digitization procedures. The Crosfield Celsis 6200 is an equipment upgrade from the Crosfield 646 that was used previously. The scanning quality remains the same. Digitization procedures for these six counties within the ILHAP project were conducted by Martin Graphics of Champaign, Illinois.

    Photographs were scanned with the north direction oriented up. Counties flown west to east have annotation at the left side of the print. Counties flown north to south have annotation at the top of the print. The photographs possess an average of 60% endlap and 30% sidelap; adjacent photographs are suitable for stereoscopic viewing.

    Date: 2003 (process 4 of 5)
    IMAGE COMPRESSION (2003-2004): This methodology was employed for 45 counties that were scanned. These counties include Adams, Brown, Bureau, Calhoun, Cass, Champaign, Clark, Clinton, Coles, Cook, Cumberland, DuPage, Fulton, Greene, Grundy, Hancock, Jersey, Johnson, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, Lake, LaSalle, Madison, Marshall, Mason, McHenry, Morgan, Monroe, Peoria, Pike, Pulaski, Putnam, St. Clair, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Stark, Tazewell, Union, Vermilion, Washington, Will, and Woodford Counties.

    The original scanned files are archived in TIFF format on CD-ROM at the Illinois State Geological Survey. The files available for download have been compressed using LizardTech's GeoExpress (Solaris platform) MrSID version 1.3.1 software at a compression ratio of 12:1.

    No additional image processing will be imposed on these files to ensure the best preservation of existing feature details.

    Date: 2006 (process 5 of 5)
    IMAGE COMPRESSION (2005-2006): This methodology was employed for 6 counties that were scanned. These counties include Gallatin, Hardin, Pope, Saline, Williamson, and Winnebago Counties.

    The original scanned files are archived in TIFF format on CD-ROM at the Illinois State Geological Survey. The files available for download have been compressed using LizardTech's GeoExpress (Solaris platform) MrSID Version 5.0.6.1088.Bob_1055_br software at a compression ratio of 6:1.

    No additional image processing will be imposed on these files to ensure the best preservation of existing feature details.

  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?

    Illinois State Geological Survey, Unpublished Material, Illinois Historical Aerial Photographs: County Index Data Layer: Illinois State Geological Survey, Champaign, Illinois.

    Online Links:

    Illinois State Geological Survey, Unpublished Material, Illinois Historical Aerial Photographs: Schematic County Indexes: Illinois State Geological Survey, Champaign, Illinois.

    Online Links:

    Illinois State Geological Survey, Unpublished Material, Illinois Historical Aerial Photographs: Photo Mosaic County Indexes: Illinois State Geological Survey, Champaign, Illinois.

    Online Links:

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?

    For information regarding the file naming conventions refer to the Entitiy_and_Attribute_Overview portion of this metadata.

  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

    These data have not been geometrically corrected.

  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

    These data have not been orthorectified.

  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?

    Not Applicable

  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?

    Not Applicable

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?

Access_Constraints: none
Use_Constraints:
Reproduction or redistribution of copyrighted digital data sets or products derived there from outside of licensee organization or entity is expressly forbidden. The only exception is redistribution to consultants working for the licensee, and then only for purposes, related to work for the licensee. Such consultants may not further reproduce or redistribute these data sets. None of these data shall be electronically duplicated on magnetic or optical media for use by others, in whole or in part, without permission of the appropriate custodial division within the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).

Any hardcopies utilizing IDNR data sets shall clearly indicate their source. If the licensee has modified the data in any way they are obligated to describe the types of modifications they have performed on the hardcopy map. Licensee specifically agrees not to misrepresent IDNR data sets, nor to imply that changes they made were approved by IDNR.

These data are not to be used for commercial profit.

  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)

    Illinois State Geological Survey
    Information Office
    615 East Peabody Drive
    Champaign, Illinois 61820
    USA

    217-333-4747 (voice)
    217-244-0802 (FAX)
    isgs@isgs.uiuc.edu

    Hours_of_Service: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday, U.S. Central Time
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?

    MrSID format files are currently available free of charge at the Illinois Natural Resources Geospatial Data Clearinghouse for selected counties in Illinois. Refer to the Identification_Information portion of this file for access to downloadable data and metadata.

  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

    The Illinois Department of Natural Resources provides these geographic data "as is." IDNR makes no guarantee or warranty concerning the accuracy of information contained in the geographic data. IDNR further makes no warranties, either expressed or implied as to any other matter whatsoever, including, without limitation, the condition of the product, or its fitness for any particular purpose. The burden for determining fitness for use lies entirely with the user. Although these data have been processed successfully on computers of IDNR, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by IDNR regarding the use of these data on any other system, nor does the fact of distribution constitute or imply any such warranty.

    In no event shall the IDNR have any liability whatsoever for payment of any consequential, incidental, indirect, special, or tort damages of any kind, including, but not limited to, any loss of profits arising out of use of or reliance on the geographic data or arising out of the delivery, installation, operation, or support by IDNR.

  4. How can I download or order the data?

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 11-Aug-2006
Last Reviewed: 11-Aug-2006
To be reviewed: Contact_Information Contact_Organization_Primary
Metadata author:
Metadata standard:
FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)

Illinois Natural Resources Geospatial Data Clearinghouse

Generated by mp version 2.8.11 on Mon Jan 29 15:19:36 2007