Kelco Aerial Photograph Collection

Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
Copyright 2014
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
spcoll@ucsd.edu


Descriptive Summary

Languages: English
Contributing Institution: Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
Title: Kelco Aerial Photograph Collection
Creator: Kelco (Firm)
Identifier/Call Number: SMC 0129
Physical Description: 4.5 Linear feet (8 archives boxes, 1 flat box)
Date (inclusive): circa 1931-1992
Abstract: The collection consists of black and white, color, and infrared aerial photography of kelp beds and coastline from Baja California to Point Conception.

Digital Content

All images in Series 3) SCANNED IMAGES are exclusively available digitally. Due to copyright constraints, digital content is restricted to UC San Diego IP addresses (including UCSD-PROTECTED network for wireless, and VPN or Proxy for off-campus access).

Publication Rights

Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.

Acquisition Note

Acquired 2011.

Preferred Citation

Kelco Aerial Photograph Collection. SMC 129. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.

OFF SITE STORAGE

COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. ALLOW ONE WEEK FOR RETRIEVAL OF MATERIALS.

Historical Note

The Kelco Company (est. 1929, San Diego) was the world's largest commercial producer of algin, a derivative of alginic acid used as a stabilizing, suspending and gelling agent in a variety of food and industrial applications. Kelco's fleet harvested giant kelp ( Macrocystis pyrifera) and rockweed ( Ascophyllum nodosum) from the waters off Baja and Southern and Central California to procure alginic acid. To facilitate its harvesting operations, the company conducted aerial surveys of kelp beds regulated by the California Department of Fish and Game. This visual survey information was used to direct vessels to mature areas of kelp canopy that had sufficient density for harvesting.
Kelco Company was purchased by Monsanto in 1995 and became part of their Kelco Alginates division. Kelco Alginates merged with International Specialty Products in 1999 and the new company was named ISP Alginates. The business shut down its San Diego operations in 2005 citing increased permit, regulation, and energy costs.

Scope and Content of Collection

The collection consists of black and white, color, and infrared aerial photography of kelp beds and coastline from Baja California to Point Conception. The order and numbering systems utilized in the original survey project binders were preserved where possible within folders.
Arranged in three series: 1) SLIDES, 2) PHOTOGRAPHS, and 3) SCANNED IMAGES.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Giant kelp -- Aerial photographs
Kelps -- Aerial photographs
Kelco (Firm) -- Archives

 

SLIDES

Scope and Content of Series

Series 1) SLIDES: Color images in slide mounts arranged by the general geographic areas of surveys taken between 1973-1992 in Central California and Baja California.
 

Aerial Surveys of Central California

Box 1, Folder 1-2

Carmel 1973-1976

Box 1, Folder 3-4

Estero to Monterey 1978

Box 1, Folder 5

Central California 1982 August 29

Box 2, Folder 1-2

Central California 1982 August 29

 

Pigeon Point to Pismo Beach

Box 2, Folder 3-5

1983 September-October

Box 3, Folder 1-4

1984 August 25, 26

Box 4, Folder 1-5

1985 September 12, 13

Box 5, Folder 1-6

1986 September 10, 15, 28

 

Aerial Surveys of Baja California

Box 6, Folder 1-5

Aer-Mex 1976-1992

Box 6, Folder 6-8

Tijuana to Punta San Carlos 1985 July 15

Box 7, Folder 1-2

Tijuana to Sacramento Reef 1984 June-August

Box 7, Folder 3

Isla Todos Santos, Punta Banda, San Quentin 1981 September 9

 

PHOTOGRAPHS

Scope and Content of Series

Series 2) PHOTOGRAPHS: Contains black and white, primarily 8x10 inch photographic prints arranged by the general geographic areas of the surveys taken between 1946-1949 in Central California and Baja California.
 

Aerial surveys of Central California

Box 8, Folder 1

Carpinteria to Point Conception 1960

General

Photos numbered 45-81 on verso.
Box 8, Folder 2

San Clemente, San Nicolas, and Santa Rosa Islands 1956-1957

General

Photos numbered 82-117, 125-128, 131-134 on verso.
Box 8, Folder 3

Point Conception 1957

General

Photos numbered 118-119, 122-124 on verso.
Box 8, Folder 4

La Jolla, Dana Point, San Mateo 1957

General

Photos numbered 120-121, 129-130 on verso.
Box 8, Folder 5

Santa Barbara to Point Loma 1954

General

Photos numbered 169-206 on verso.
Box 8, Folder 6

Los Angeles County 1950-1955

General

Photos numbered 305-332 on verso.
Box 8, Folder 7

Santa Barbara County 1955

General

Photos numbered 136-168 on verso.
Box 8, Folder 8

Point Loma to Point Arguello 1962 August 8

General

Photos numbered 333-402 on verso.
Box 8, Folder 9-11

Channel Islands 1955, 1958

Oversize FB-477, Folder 4

San Diego County 1949

Oversize FB-477, Folder 5

Orange County 1949

Oversize FB-477, Folder 6

Unidentified 1946

 

Aerial surveys of Baja California

Box 6, Folder 5

Aer-Mex, North Channel Island 1988-1989

Box 7, Folder 4

Bahia Soledad 1950-1958

Box 7, Folder 5

Cabo Colnett 1951

Box 7, Folder 6

Coronado Islands 1955 May 17

Box 7, Folder 7

Ensenada (South) 1951

Box 7, Folder 8

Halfway House 1958

Box 7, Folder 9

Punta Banda 1951

Box 7, Folder 10

Punta Clara 1950

Box 7, Folder 11

Punta Descanso 1950-1958

Box 7, Folder 12

Punta Salsipuedes 1950, 1958

Box 7, Folder 13

Punta San Isidro 1950-1951

Box 7, Folder 14

Punta San Jacinto 1950-1951

Box 7, Folder 15

Punta San Jose 1958

Box 7, Folder 16

Punta San Miguel 1951

Box 7, Folder 17

Punta Santo Tomas 1950-1958

Box 7, Folder 18

San Telmo 1958

Box 7, Folder 19

Rosario Bay 1950-1951

Box 7, Folder 20

Miscellaneous 1955

General

Photos are 3 x 5 inch black and white prints layered and glued to a piece of paper.
 

SCANNED IMAGES

Scope and Content of Series

Series 3) SCANNED IMAGES: This series consists of unique digital images scanned from analog slides. These images exist only in digital format and are not scans of materials from Series 1 and 2.
Due to copyright constraints, this digital content is restricted to UC San Diego IP addresses (including UCSD-PROTECTED network for wireless, and VPN or Proxy for off-campus access). UC San Diego users may view digital content by clicking on the Digital Collections link at the top of the finding aid under "Digital Content."