Collection

Photograph albums of Umpqua River Jetty construction and Brubaker aerial survey of Northwest coast

• 1926 - 1947 (Creation)

0.31 Cubic Feet; 2 albums

Collection consists of two albums containing photographs of the Pacific coastline taken between 1926 and 1947. The albums were designated Albums 452 and 453 by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library. Album 452 was created between 1926 and 1939 and contains aerial photographs of the Oregon and Washington coasts taken by Brubaker Aerial Surveys. The photographs begin at Willapa Bay and continue south to the mouth of the Chetco River. Album 453 was created between 1933 and 1947 and contains photographs of the construction of the Umpqua River jetties in Reedsport, Oregon. The north jetty was constructed in 1919 and reconstructed in 1947. The south jetty was constructed in 1934 and 1935. Album 453 includes at least one aerial photograph by Brubaker Aerial Surveys and at least two photographs taken by John Stilanos. This collection may be of interest to individuals researching aerial photography and surveys, the Oregon and Washington coasts, and the construction of the Umpqua River jetties.

In Copyright http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:80444/xv372092

Biographical Note: Brubaker Aerial Surveys was founded by William "Bill" Cary Brubaker in Portland, Oregon. Brubaker was possibly the first aerial photographer in the Portland area. He was born in Huntington, Indiana, on March 23, 1885. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1905, and he served on the Battleship Oregon and other ships. During this time, he learned to use a camera for official Navy photographs and developed an interest in photography. Following his discharge, Brubaker took flying lessons from pilot Jack Clements.

In 1922, recognizing that he was too busy with photography to get his pilot's certificate, Brubaker began barnstorming and taking aerial photographs to sell to property owners. He built his own aerial camera from cherry wood in 1921. In 1924, he purchased a professional Eastman topographic mapping camera, and later that year he founded Brubaker Aerial Surveys, the first aerial mapping business in the Northwest. Jobs included mapping the Bull Run watershed for the City of Portland, mapping a dam site for the Puget Sound Power & Light Co., and mapping Mount St. Helens. After World War II, Leonard Delano, who worked for Brubaker, bought out the company and continued to do aerial mapping. Brubaker spent his retirement building vacation homes near Yachats, Oregon, and died on August 13, 1985, in Canby, Oregon, after celebrating his 100th birthday that March.

• Citation: Brubaker aerial survey of the Oregon and Washington coasts and Umpqua River Jetty construction albums, Org. Lot 1424, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

“Service set for pioneer in aerial photography.” The Oregonian. August 20, 1985.;
Richards, Leverett. “Aerial photography pioneer remembers barnstorming days.” The Oregonian. March 16, 1985.

• Aerial photographs