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Aerial Photos Of Chicago From The 1930s

By John Dodge

CHICAGO (CBS) -- On Nov. 29, 1938 a pilot and photographer did something extraordinary.

They took off over the streets of Chicago and photographed the city, flying in straight lines, back and forth, capturing every corner.

It was the first of its kind back in those days as the United States launched a project to photograph the entire state from the air. The effort began in 1937 and took 10 years to complete.

The images of Cook County were taken on lights flown between November 14, 1938 and April 13, 1939 by Holmberg Aerial Survey Co., for the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Adjustment Administration.

The original silver nitrate film negatives are gone, destroyed by the National Archives in the early 1980s because they had deteriorated.

As the original prints became worn and faded over time--or worse, lost--access has been restricted.

Until the Illinois State Geological Survey took on an initiative to digitally scan them.

There are 33,500 photographs, taken all over the state, and arranged by county.

Here is an index grid of the photos taken of Cook County. (You can click on all the images to enlarge.)

Cook County Index
(Credit: Illinois Natural Resources Geospatial Data Clearinghouse)

Around lunch time on that day, the pilot flew over downtown, capturing what is now Museum Campus:

Museum Campus Chicago 1938
(Credit: Illinois Natural Resources Geospatial Data Clearinghouse)

Here is a closer look of the Adler Planetarium and Northerly Island, before it became an airport.

Planetarium Northerly Island
(Credit: Illinois Natural Resources Geospatial Data Clearinghouse)

And the Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium. Notice how Lake Shore Drive ran on both sides of the Field Museum back then, before the city moved the northbound lanes to the west to create the Museum Campus today.

Field Museum Shedd Aquarium
(Credit: Illinois Natural Resources Geospatial Data Clearinghouse)

And here is a closeup of Soldier Field.

Soldier Field

And just north of that, here is Lake Shore Drive's infamous S curve and Navy Pier

Navy Pier 1930s
(Credit: Illinois Natural Resources Geospatial Data Clearinghouse)

A closer look at what is now Maggie Daley and Millennium Parks.

Maggie Daley Park
(Credit: Illinois Natural Resources Geospatial Data Clearinghouse)

And a tighter shot of both the S Curve and then Navy Pier.

Lake Shore Drive S Curve
(Credit: Illinois Natural Resources Geospatial Data Clearinghouse)
Navy Pier
(Credit: Illinois Natural Resources Geospatial Data Clearinghouse)
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