About Digital Sanborn Maps

Subject
Sanborn fire insurance maps are the most frequently consulted maps in both public and academic libraries. Sanborn maps are valuable historical tools for urban specialists, social historians, architects, geographers, genealogists, local historians, planners, environmentalists and anyone who wants to learn about the history, growth, and development of American cities, towns, and neighborhoods. They are large-scale plans containing data that can be used to estimate the potential risk for urban structures. This includes information such as the outline of each building, the size, shape and construction materials, heights, and function of structures, location of windows and doors. The maps also give street names, street and sidewalk widths, property boundaries, building use, and house and block numbers. Seven or eight different editions represent some areas.

Sources
Digital Sanborn Maps was created from ProQuest Information and Learning's microfilm collection of 660,000 Sanborn Maps, which were filmed from the Library of Congress' collection. The Library's Sanborn collection includes all maps submitted to the Library through copyright deposit and a set of maps transferred to the Library from the Bureau of the Census. Maps from the Bureau of the Census include corrections issued by the Sanborn Company that were pasted over the original map sheet. Maps acquired through copyright deposit remain in their original form.

Coverage
Florida maps date from the 1880's. 

Provider
Distributed by ProQuest

Help
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Access
NSU faculty, students and staff:  On campus and remote access.
Registered Broward patrons: Walk in access within the library.
General Public and Alumni: Walk in access within the library.

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Created: 11/29/2007