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Daniel Alfred Sanborn: The Man Behind America’s Fire Insurance Maps

Daniel Alfred Sanborn: The Man Behind America’s...

Learn the story of Daniel Alfred Sanborn—the surveyor whose accurate, color-coded fire insurance maps became the gold standard for understanding America’s cities. His legacy continues today through the historic Sanborn...

Daniel Alfred Sanborn: The Man Behind America’s...

Learn the story of Daniel Alfred Sanborn—the surveyor whose accurate, color-coded fire insurance maps became the gold standard for understanding America’s cities. His legacy continues today through the historic Sanborn...

What Thanksgiving Looked Like 100 Years Ago — Through the Eyes of Sanborn Maps

What Thanksgiving Looked Like 100 Years Ago — T...

See what Thanksgiving looked like 100+ years ago. Explore how Sanborn Maps show the real streets, buildings, and landmarks—like Plymouth Rock—from early American hometowns.

What Thanksgiving Looked Like 100 Years Ago — T...

See what Thanksgiving looked like 100+ years ago. Explore how Sanborn Maps show the real streets, buildings, and landmarks—like Plymouth Rock—from early American hometowns.

Composite image of the 1902 Jailhouse Inn in Sadieville, Kentucky alongside a 1908 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, printed by Hometown History Maps to illustrate the story of connecting local history to modern spaces

From Jailhouse to Guesthouse: How One Kentucky ...

When a Kentucky Airbnb owner uncovered a 1908 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map showing his building marked “JAIL,” it brought the town’s history — and his restoration — to life. Discover...

From Jailhouse to Guesthouse: How One Kentucky ...

When a Kentucky Airbnb owner uncovered a 1908 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map showing his building marked “JAIL,” it brought the town’s history — and his restoration — to life. Discover...

Side-by-side Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps of Evart, Michigan from 1920 and 1942 showing correction sheets applied to update buildings and streets over time — an example of historical map editing featured by Hometown History Maps

When History Edited Itself: Exploring Sanborn M...

Correction sheets are the human fingerprints of mapmaking — little paper patches pasted by hand to keep Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps up to date. Each one tells a story of...

When History Edited Itself: Exploring Sanborn M...

Correction sheets are the human fingerprints of mapmaking — little paper patches pasted by hand to keep Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps up to date. Each one tells a story of...

Old Maps of America: Discovering Your Hometown Through Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps

Old Maps of America: Discovering Your Hometown ...

Discover your hometown as it looked over 100 years ago. Explore the history of American cities and towns through original Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps — detailed, colorful, and now beautifully...

Old Maps of America: Discovering Your Hometown ...

Discover your hometown as it looked over 100 years ago. Explore the history of American cities and towns through original Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps — detailed, colorful, and now beautifully...

Now on Hometown History Maps: Bird’s-Eye (Panoramic) Maps

Now on Hometown History Maps: Bird’s-Eye (Panor...

Now on Hometown History Maps: Bird’s-Eye (Panoramic) Maps  In addition to our beloved Sanborn Fire Insurance maps, we’re excited to introduce historic bird’s-eye view—also called panoramic—maps. These are the big,...

Now on Hometown History Maps: Bird’s-Eye (Panor...

Now on Hometown History Maps: Bird’s-Eye (Panoramic) Maps  In addition to our beloved Sanborn Fire Insurance maps, we’re excited to introduce historic bird’s-eye view—also called panoramic—maps. These are the big,...