Watson Airfotos Inc. photograph collection, 1927-1947

Collection context

Summary

Creators:
Watson Airfotos Inc.
Extent:
24 Linear Feet (24 document boxes)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of Item], Watson Airfotos Inc. photograph collection, Mss 343. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection of historical imagery of areas in Los Angeles and surrounding counties dates back to the 1920s (1927 to 1947). The Watson collection came to the Library as part of the gift from the Teledyne Foundation in 1986, and includes imagery in print and transparent film formats as well as postcard images and advertising stills.

Most of the Watson aerial photography is large scale (greater than 1:10,000) and primarily covers particular locations in Los Angeles county, as well as a few locations in Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. The imagery is identified in our catalog with flight IDs starting with "Watson-" followed by a three to four digit number.

Most images are oblique aerials. Watson also produced event and business photography which is also present in this collection.

Acquisition information:
Gift of the Teledyne Foundation, 1986.
Arrangement:

Film: Box 1: frames 11A to 902-66; Box 2: frames 904-3 to 1695; Box 3: frames 1112 to 1267-5; Box 4: frames 1270 to 1699; Box 5: frames 1700 to 1906-2; Box 6: frames 1908-1 to 1995-2; Box 7: frames 2002 to 2267; Box 8: frames 407 to 1014; Box 9: frames 1072-3 to 1327-11; Box 10: frames 1329-1 to 2188.

Print: Box 11: frames 1A to 337A; Box 12: frames 341A to 547A-3; Box 13: frames 548A-1 to 799; Box 14: frames 801 to 1074-6; Box 15: frames 1080-6 to 1298; Box 16: frames 1300 to 1499-2; Box 17: frames 1500 to 1594-7; Box 18: frames 1621 to 1699; Box 19: frames 1700 to 1799; Box 20: frames 1800 to 1918-18; Box 21: frames 1923-1 to 2019; Box 22: frames 2020-1 to 2190-3; Box 23: frames 2193 to 2196I-309-1; Box 24: frames 2196I-310 to LAR-18.

Physical location:
Geospatial Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Some of the material in this collection has deteriorated and will require special handing. Please contact Geospatial Collections at the UC Santa Barbara Library in advance to request access.

Photographs have been re-housed and digitized with a grant from the John Randolph and Dora Haynes Foundation, and may be accessed at the UC Santa Barbara Library Alexandria Digital Research Library.

Terms of access:

Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Research Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Research Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Department of Special Research Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of Item], Watson Airfotos Inc. photograph collection, Mss 343. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.

Location of this collection:
UC Santa Barbara Library
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9010, US
Contact:
(805) 893-3062