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SANBORN MAPS: A Window to the Past and a Tool for the Future

Delve into the intriguing world of Sanborn Maps, from their inception in the 1860s to their extensive usage in urban studies. Learn about the detailed mapping techniques, historical context, and modern applications of these significant cartographic resources. Explore how urban morphology and social structures are intertwined through the lens of Sanborn Maps. Discover the evolution of mapping practices and the decline of fire insurance maps in the mid-20th century. Uncover how these maps offer a window into the past while serving as a tool for the future in urban planning and research.

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SANBORN MAPS: A Window to the Past and a Tool for the Future

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  1. SANBORN MAPS:A Window to the Past and a Tool for the Future

  2. Talk Outline I. What are Sanborn Maps? II. History of Sanborn Company III. Details about the Sanborn Maps IV. Uses of the Sanborn Maps V. Understanding the Maps VI. CU’s Collection VII. Accessing CU’s Collection

  3. I. What are Sanborn Maps?

  4. Sanborn Maps Fire Insurance Maps Large Scale Detailed (50 feet to 1 inch) Date Back to the 1860s Updated Regularly Until 1950s

  5. London was prone to fires throughout its history Detail of painting from 1666 of the Great Fire of London by an unknown artist. Photo taken from Wikipedia

  6. Fire Insurance Maps emerged in London in the late 1700s From: http://www.oldmap.co.uk/detailmaps/londafterfiredetail.jpg

  7. The American Insurance Industry spurred the growth of mapping companies in the late 1800s • Mapping companies supplied information to insurance underwriters.

  8. II. The History of the Sanborn Maps From: http://www.rotograph.org/Fire.jpg

  9. Insurance underwriters were interested in basing their rates according to the relative risk of fires in the commercial districts of American cities. From: http://www.tombstone1880.com/archives/hotel.jpg

  10. Daniel A. Sanborn founded the Sanborn National Insurance Diagram Bureau in New York City after successfully surveying Boston Portrait of Daniel A. Sanborn from: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/EART/snb-intr.html

  11. Adopted the Name “Sanborn Map Company” in 1902 and Eventually Emerged as the Leader in the Field From: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/EART/snb-intr.html

  12. The Sanborn Company’s success was due to • Absorption of other companies • Richly detailed and comprehensive maps • Highly accurate • Good management practices • Standardized symbolization

  13. Published a system of standards for accuracy in 1905 • At Sanborn’s peak (1920s): • employed surveyors in every state • held a virtual monopoly

  14. Surveyors: -Worked anonymously -Names never appeared on maps -Surveyors occasionally gained notoriety or celebrity after leaving the Company

  15. Daniel Carter Beard From: Wikipedia

  16. “While working for them I not only saw all those places I had heard about but I made maps of them, made diagrams of all the homes in each town and city I visited. I took delight in putting into my records mention of real occupancy, genteel or disreputable. After four or five years of this work I knew a lot about our people, saints and sinners, rich and poor.” Dan Beard, Hardly a Man Is Now Alive, the Autobiography of Dan Beard (New York, 1939), p. 225

  17. III. Details About the Sanborn Maps

  18. Most Sanborn maps were drawn at a scale of 50 feet to 1 inch until after WW II Quickbird Satellite Image

  19. Maps focus on urban areas “Map of Congested District of Salt Lake City Utah” 1911 The Sanborn Mapping Company (Scale 200ft to 1in)

  20. Maps Include: Details regarding the size, shape, and construction of commercial buildings, dwellings, and structures Paonia Colorado circa 1908 From ghostdepot.com

  21. Maps Include: Stone Building Wood Frame w/ Iron Facade Fireproof Building Wood Frame Building Not just location but the composition of all buildings within a city or town

  22. Maps Include: Noted strength of fire department and sometimes the number of engines or firefighters at each station

  23. Maps Include: Location of water and gas mains as well as things like sprinklers, hydrants, and alarms

  24. Maps Include: Labels on most public buildings: From landmarks to brothels (“Female Boarding”, “FB”, “Ill Fame”, “Bagnios” etc.) Reno, NV 1899

  25. Maps Include: Street names, railroad lines, and Indian Reservations Some maps may included information about prevailing winds and population estimates http://www.lakemirabel.com/Railroad/Fishkill/20_Beacon_1921_t_m.jpg

  26. Sanborn Company resurveyed quickly after a disaster to note the buildings that had survived or been lost. For Example it took less than one week following the Chicago Stockyard fire of 1934 to produce updated map

  27. Chicago Stockyards 1947 Thematic Map of Chicago Stockyard Produced by the Sanborn Company (date unknown)

  28. Corrections and Updates: In 1930 Sanborn Co. began to allow correction plates

  29. The Decline of the Fire Insurance Maps: • The maps were costly • 1929 stock market crash and depression • During WWII government placed restrictions on map production and building construction • Difficulty keeping pace with the post WWII population and development boom • By the 1960s the insurance industry shifted away from using maps to assess risk

  30. IV. Uses of the Sanborn Maps

  31. Urban Morphology • Studies the physical form of a city including • street patterns • buildings sizes and shapes • architecture • population density • patterns of land uses How does physical form produce or reproduce social forms?

  32. Urban Morphology Dr. Vaselka used Sanborn maps to examine how the the design and placement of courthouse squares in Texas affected sense of community. Quickbird Satellite Image of Denton, TX “Courthouse on the Square”

  33. 1919 1886 1901 1948 The development of the Barrio Libre Neighborhood, Tuscon

  34. Historical Sociology Studies the past to find out how societies work and change Photo fromhttp://www.economist.com Example: Washington DC “alley life”

  35. Alley Dwellings • After the Civil War small dwellings were built in the allies that ran between many city blocks in D.C. • The most common residents of these allies were poor or African American. • Public perception of allies and inhabitants: • filthy • squalid • crime ridden • drunken • rampant immorality and disease

  36. Louse Alley Investigations into these “red light districts” were conducted in the early 1900s. Louse alley was considered one of the worst offenders. View of Louse Alley published in Charles Weller's 1909 expose Neglected Neighbors.

  37. Louse Alley “Bawdy houses” and “alley dwellings” were abolished during early twentieth century Reform Movements Louse Alley, then renamed Armory Place, was reconfigured as a minor street. Armory Place was demolished in the 1930s as an attempt to further rid the city of “alley dwellings” and as part of a “beautification” campaign Temporary housing was erected after WWII and for a time part of the area was used as dedicated open space.

  38. Louse Alley Currently the American Indian Museum stands on part of the site of Louse Alley. Before the Museum was built intensive archeological investigations of Lots 11 and 12 of Louse Alley were conducted in Reservation C

  39. Louse Alley -Mary Anne Hall’s Brothel (Lot 12) - Adjacent parcel theorized to be a trash dump for the brothel and location of a boarding house (Lot 11) Corks, foil and wire from champagne bottles Finepottery

  40. Louse Alley Sanborn maps guided the excavation and are one of the few records of both “alley life” and “alley dwellers”

  41. Louse Alley All references and photos used were taken from the Smithsonian Institute: http://www.si.edu/oahp/madam/index.html http://www.si.edu/oahp/nmaidig/

  42. Archeology As evident from the Louse Alley example the Sanborn maps frequently aid archeologist. From Footprint of a Sawmill:Archeological Investigation Into the Nurre Sawmill in Williamsburg, KY (by Grant, Keit, and Mauck)

  43. Historic Preservation “The process of preserving part of a community, from an individual building or part of a building to a whole neighborhood (including roadways and waterways), because of its historical importance.” (from urbanplan.org) Taos square in historic Georgetown awaits restoration

  44. Historic Preservation Since the maps contain such rich details regarding the size, shape, and construction of commercial buildings, dwellings, and structures they are an excellent resource for historic preservation. From: http://saahp.rwu.edu/saahp_gallery/cms-files/historicpreservation/01.jpg

  45. Genealogy The study or investigation of ancestry and family history. Campbell of Glenorchy Family TreeGeorge Jamesone, 1635.Scottish National Portrait Gallery

  46. Genealogy Sanborn’s generally do not contain family names so they are often used when the address of an ancestor is known. Since the Sanborn maps only cover urban areas they are best for research city dwelling ancestors

  47. Treasure Hunting Bottle hunters and individuals who use metal detectors to find treasure often use the Sanborn maps to locate privy or outhouse sites. Compliments of “Digger” from “bottlebooks.com

  48. V. Understanding the Maps

  49. Understanding Sanborn Maps Sanborn maps contain a rich amount of information and detail In order to understand and interpret the maps you must make use of a complex legend

  50. VI. CU’s Collection

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