HistoricAerials.com - I really WANT to like it, but I just cant...

[TrpnBils]

HistoricAerials.com - I really WANT to like it, but I just can't...

This is mostly going to be me complaining, but I'm really curious to see if this happens to anybody else...

I see so many people advocating the use of this site for research, and it's a good idea, but I get more frustrated with it every time I go on with the thought that maybe it isn't as bad as I remembered it being.

1. Every time I try to use it, the years just move around wherever they feel like (I'll be on a 1950 topo map, for example, I'll click "Zoom Out" or "Zoom In" once, and it'll throw me to like a 1975 aerial map or something.
2. My biggest issue with it though is that it'll almost always stop loading partway through... I'll have a spot loaded up just fine, move the map a hair one way or another and half of the map will black out.
3. The third big issue I see all the time is the map will be very, very low resolution, even zoomed out everything will be blurry to the point where I can't use it at all. This is the same idea as the areas that black out for no reason. It'll be fine one second, then when I either zoom in or out just a little or if I move the map just a little it'll go real low resolution when nothing should really be changing.

What gets me is that I'm on a fast internet connection with a new(ish) computer! Does anybody else have this problem with the site or have you found a solution to it?

 

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[Metal Illness]

I have not used the "Aerials" site. I just use Historic Mapworks with the overlay feature on a county atlas from 1875. The only thing I have noticed using the overlay feature, is that, it seems every time you click to "enlarge" the scale gets out of sink. Good luck, hope someone can help you figure it out.

Regards, Bill

 

[Erving]

Not familiar with that site. Try this one

MyTopo: Historical Topographic Maps

 

[TrpnBils]

I have not used the "Aerials" site. I just use Historic Mapworks with the overlay feature on a county atlas from 1875. The only thing I have noticed using the overlay feature, is that, it seems every time you click to "enlarge" the scale gets out of sink. Good luck, hope someone can help you figure it out.

Regards, Bill

I've tried that one before - Unfortunately There's not much in Mapworks for my area that's detailed enough to use. I get like "artist's depiction of the tri-county area from space" and the like (okay, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but not much of one!)

Not familiar with that site. Try this one

MyTopo: Historical Topographic Maps

This is a good site that I've used before. Again, in my area there's not a lot there. We're down in the very bottom corner of one map and about half the town is cut off but it works fairly well for more northern sites I hunt around here. Thanks!

 

[bigscoop]

Huge files can create issues. Sometimes they'll appear to be done loading but they aren't. Just trying to scroll or zoom before it's through loading can cause all sorts of issues.

 

[kayakpat]

technology to take good aerial photos deteriorate the further back in time you go,

 

[Ahab8]

I share your frustration with historic aerials and have never been a fan. I've often wondered if the reason it doesn't show everything on some occasions is because they simply don't have a shot of the entire area from whatever year you want to see. As old as my area is it's kinda pointless anyway. I have several great maps from the mid and late 1700s of the midcoast maine area. As mentioned above historic map works is great. There's some 1776 Desbarres maps that are awesome. There's also a 1759 map of my area. My advice to you would be to go to the local library and see if they have a local map archive. This is where I started my search. I would photograph the super old ones and some of the smaller ones they would photocopy for me. Good luck bud. Digging deep into this stuff is what makes all the difference

 

[BigWaveDave]

I found my house, that was about it. overall, kinda useless for SW Florida

 

[TrpnBils]

technology to take good aerial photos deteriorate the further back in time you go,

Yeah, but that doesn't account for the site crapping out on the topo maps!

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

I know what you are talking about. I use alot during the week.

The only time I have an issue with dates changing, are if I get to a spot where I guess they didnt have a 1952 aerial , but they had a 56, so it will jump to that.

I have noticed just over the past years, there has been more features added, but it seems like not enough bandwidth on their end.

I know its frusting as hell, But Im just happy there is something out there like that.

The one thing i REALLY dont like, is that everything is cool on my computer, But the second I go on my ipad while im out in the field, I lose the maps overlay button and some of the features i had on my computer...Sometimes they will be there, and sometimes they are not

best of luck!

 

[Ahab8]

If you go on historic map works and find a map click on buy. It will take you to another screen. Then click full screen. You can now zoom in on a larger map. You may already know all this but it helps me to isolate areas in better detail

 

[Ahab8]

Hey I forgot to mention OSHER MAP library. They have incredibly sharp and detailed maps. Much better than historic map works

 

[relicmeister]

Hey I forgot to mention OSHER MAP library. They have incredibly sharp and detailed maps. Much better than historic map works

Thanks for the tip. Ahab8. I've not had much experience with using overlays, but I'm into checking out any new source of detailed maps. I like your idea of photographing
old maps at a library.

 

[Ahab8]

Thanks for the tip. Ahab8. I've not had much experience with using overlays, but I'm into checking out any new source of detailed maps. I like your idea of photographing
old maps at a library.

A lot of the old maps in my local library are soooo old that they won't let you touch them or photocopy them so I just snap a few pics and study them at home

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Very informative thread!

 

[TrpnBils]

hate to resurrect this thread, but I did some experimentation tonight with this site and it seems to be much faster on IE than it does on Chrome or Firefox. Looks like IE might still be useful for something!