Newness is no Virtue. Cache of old Google Maps satellite images?

August 6, 2013 2:38 PM

Google Maps / satellite view used to provide a wonderful shot of our historic family homestead. Sadly, the New and Improved Updated 2013 satellite photo is one big glare-y blur. An easy way to find the old shot?

The title pretty much says it all.

Typing in the address of our family farm used to produce a brilliant satellite shot of our beloved homestead - amazing clarity and detail, vibrant colors. Brought a tear to the sentimental eye.

Stupidly, I never captured the image.

Today I looked it up and was dismayed at the new photo. It's distorted, washed out, and blurry. I can't even tell what I'm looking at.

Is there a way to find the older image?

A quick search suggests that I can try to find the property on historical aerial archive sites, but I was hoping for a simple Google cache of its own images... or something along those lines.

Thanks!

posted by falldownpaul to Computers & Internet (3 answers total)

In google earth there's a button that lets you look at historical photos of an area. Go to the toolbar, and click the 7th button from the left that looks like a clock with an arrow around it. Maybe if you go back a couple months you'll find the better image?
posted by DynamiteToast at 2:43 PM on August 6, 2013 [3 favorites]

Google Earth has historical imagery. It's worth a try!
posted by moonmilk at 2:44 PM on August 6, 2013

Try Bing, as well. For my house, it's a different image than Google's.
posted by theora55 at 6:07 PM on August 6, 2013 [1 favorite]