The first aerial imagery of Denver came in the 1920s when pilots stationed at Lowry Field received training in aerial observation. These were "oblique" images taken of the ground at an angle. All aerial imagery described below is top-down aerial photography unless otherwise indicated.
Systematic top-down aerial photography of Denver began with Jasper King's April 1933 aerial mapping survey covering virtually all of what was then Denver. Using newly refined aircraft and camera technology initially developed during World War I, King was the first to map the city from the air. Beginning in the late 20th century and continuing today, black-and-white imagery from airplanes began to be replaced with remote sensing color imagery from near-Earth satellites operated by Landsat, Maxar, and others. The effect is the same -- both provide a view of Denver and surrounding areas that match what you would see from the air, looking down.
Most of the Denver aerial imagery available at Denver Public Library dates from the 1960s to the early 2000s.
Imagery from DRCOG's data catalog is accessible to the public, while imagery available through nearby universities may have access limitations for those not affiliated with the college.
Overview
Locating specific imagery for particular areas for a definite time period is not straightforward. Each aerial survey project had its own objectives and purpose, resulting in widely inconsistent coverage areas, level of detail, and physical format. Historically, organizations or government agencies purchased limited sets of existing aerial imagery surveys that suited their own purposes, resulting in incomplete sets being deposited with the library. This research guide will help you determine how to find and obtain the aerial imagery you need for your purposes.
Most aerial imagery is not cataloged and not every set is indexed. The imagery sets below cover the Denver metropolitan area only unless otherwise indicated. Most are available for browsing in the public areas in Special Collections and Archives (SCA) at Denver Public Library's Central Branch. Check with a librarian if you need assistance locating or using the imagery you need, since the list below shows only some of what is available.
Major Aerial Imagery Sets at DPL
1930-1939
1933
glass plate negatives and digital imagery
The first known systematic aerial survey of Denver remains Jasper King's 1933 project. While the library holds the glass plates and imagery from this survey, to see the imagery as a set you can use the City and County of Denver's version, or compare it with other layers on the library's Time Traveler's Map of Denver web map. In the web map the 1933 imagery can be viewed using drop-down menus below the map.
1937
10 x 10 inch (approximate) positive prints. Indexed.
A more extensive eight-county survey took place in 1937 which covered Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder (east half), Denver (periphery only), Jefferson (northeast quarter), Larimer (eastern edge), Morgan, and Weld counties. This set comes with a printed index showing county boundaries and the grid for the 7.5' topographic map series to aid with map comparison.
1940s and 1950s
Imagery in our collections from this period is scattered.
1960s
1960
Black-and-white prints, 10 x 10 inches (approximate). Indexed on wall map.
1966
Black-and-white negatives, 10.5 x 9 inches. Indexed.
Originally held in the Denver Planning Office, our set of aerial negatives from April 24, 1966 is indexed by Township, Section, and Range, and covers the boundaries of Denver as they existed at that time, with limited areas just outside of the city boundaries also covered. The index is available as a sheet filed with the aerial photographs.
1969
ADAMS COUNTY. Black-and-white prints, 24 x 24 inches (approximate). Indexed by township and range.
1970s
1970
Black-and-white prints, 10 x 8 inches. Indexed.
This set is available in four binders and produced by the City and County of Denver.
1972
Black-and-white prints, 10 x 10 inches (approximate). Indexed on wall map.
1971-1973
COLORADO. Black-and-white prints, 36 x 24 inches. Indexed.
Covering most of the state, this set sponsored by the State of Colorado and the US Geological Survey uses the Survey's 7.5' map grid as the index. Imagery was captured over several years from around 1971-1973.
1974
Black-and-white prints, 36 x 36 inches. Indexed.
Taken Sept 16, 1974, these prints are slightly faded and printed on lower-quality paper. The set contains two scales: 1 inch = 200 feet, and 1 inch = 600 feet. Both cover Denver only. Request these through the SCA reference desk on the 5th floor.
1980 - 2000s
Indexed aerial image atlases for the Denver metro area are available from 1984-2003 (most years). Most are published by Landiscor, with a printed street or zoning map of the area viewable next to each image to assist with orientation.
1988
Black-and-white positive print and film. 36 x 36 inches. Indexed.
1993
Black-and-white print, 36 x 36 inches. indexed.
These prints are slightly faded and printed on lower-quality paper. The set contains two scales: 1 inch = 200 feet, and 1 inch = 600 feet. Both cover Denver only.
2002-
DRCOG imagery is available online from their website. Only scattered imagery from this time period is held by Denver Public Library.