Initially created to estimate fire insurance risks, the company's maps are frequently used for historical research, and for preservation and restoration efforts. Sanborn maps show incredible detail about a few city blocks on each sheet including building footprints, building use and descriptions of industrial sites.
Sanborn maps are useful looking at the growth of towns and cities in the United States between the mid 1880s through 1950. Often the same area was mapped over 60 years making them an invaluable resource.
An example of how cities and towns changed over time can be found using State College as an example either looking at the State College individual sheets, or in the State College Change Through Time interactive webmap.Sanborn maps by Region:
Historic maps can come as individual sheets or in atlases.
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