Sanborn Maps provides a searchable database of the historic fire insurance maps published by the Sanborn Map Company.
Sanborn maps were made to help insurance companies assess liability in cities and towns across the United States. The maps include building locations and materials, as well as information on exterior features like windows, doors, sidewalks, and more.
These maps help researchers study urban growth and decline patterns, as well as the evolution of specific districts and sites. Genealogists may use the maps to locate residences and workplaces of their ancestors. Historians and preservationists may use the maps to determine what kinds of materials should be used for restoring a historic building.
So if you want to see your city in a whole new way, try out Sanborn Maps!
