Digital Sanborn Maps Collection (1867-1970)

The Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps were created to help insurance companies assess risk when insuring properties. The maps delineate blocks, streets, and building numbers, as well as providing information about the physical properties of the buildings and neighborhoods. The collection, which includes 660,000 maps from 12,000 cities and towns, can be browsed by city or state, and maps can be magnified to examine detail. Click here for a key to symbols and abbreviations used by Sanborn map makers. For more information about historical maps and atlases click here.

For more information on maps and map collections, including the Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, the Stanford Geological Survey, and Stanford’s Special Collections Antiquarian Map Catalog, visit the Branner Earth Sciences Library and Map Collections.