Aerial Photographs

    Using Aerial Photographs in the Cartographic Information Center

    The Cartographic Information Center is open to the public but appointments are required to view aerial photographs.  Effective August 2, 2004, patrons not affiliated with LSU as faculty, staff, or students will be charged an access fee to use the aerial photograph collection.  Please read our  Public Service Policy and Access Fee Policy.  The staff is available to assist walk-in patrons to locate the appropriate photographs using photomosaic indexes and historic topographic maps. Photographs in the collection may not be borrowed or photocopied. The CIC staff will not certify copies.

    Effective August 2, the Cartographic Information Center staff will accept fax and e-mail requests for aerial photograph research and reproduction from researchers who cannot visit the CIC.  Please read our Off Site Researcher policy.

    Appointments are required to use the Aerial Photograph Collection. Please read the Public Service Policyfor more information.

    Aerial Photographs of Louisiana

    The Cartographic Information Center collection houses over 131,000 aerial photographs. The photographs depicting Louisiana and were taken between 1931 and 1987. The majority of the photographs were taken by the U.S.D.A. or the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development of entire parishes while many municipalities were photographed by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. 

    Post-Hurricane Coastal Aerial Photographs

    The Cartographic Information Center now holds aerial photographs taken by the US Navy after damaging hurricanes affected the coastal areas of Louisiana and Texas. The images provide excellent coverage of the coastlines within a few months of the storms' landfall. 

    Aerial Photomosaic Indexes of Other States 

    The Cartographic Information Center also has aerial photomosaic indexes of counties in other states dating from the 1940s to the 1960s. The aerial photomosaic index, which list aerial photograph mosiac holdings by state, county and date, allows researchers to view a large area in small scale photographs. 

    Aerial Photographs of Other States

    In addition to aerial photographs depicting Louisiana, the Cartographic Information Center holds some aerial photographs of counties and metropolitan areas of other states. The non-Louisiana aerial photographs by county index lists our holdings of aerial photographs of counties in other states. The non-Louisiana aerial photographs by city index lists our holdings of aerial photographs of cities in other states. The non-Louisiana aerial photographs by city index lists our holdings of aerial photographs of cities in other states.