The Sanborn insurance map collection consists of a uniform series of large-scale maps, dating from 1866 to 1970. They depict the commercial, industrial, and residential sections of some twelve thousand cities and towns in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The maps were designed to assist fire insurance agents in determining the degree of hazard associated with a particular property and therefore show the size, shape, and construction of dwellings, commercial buildings, and factories as well as fire walls, locations of windows and doors, sprinkler systems, and types of roofs. The maps also indicate widths and names of streets, property boundaries, building use, and house and block numbers. They show the locations of water mains, giving their dimensions, and of fire alarm boxes and hydrants.

Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps are now considered a valuable resource among professionals from a variety of disciplines - from history to geography to environmental sciences. In 1996, Sanborn’s sister company, Environmental Data Resources, Inc., took over the Sanborn Map Company’s collection and now offers an array of products. Due to copyright restrictions, Sanborn maps from 1923 and beyond are only available for a fee.

In 2007, the West Virginia GIS Technical Center undertook an extensive survey of historical map collections in West Virginia. Below, users can download a sample Sanborn map of Morgantown, WV, as well as documents (.pdf, .xls and .doc) describing the known Sanborn Fire Insurance map collections in West Virginia.

You can download the entire report, "West Virginia Historical Geospatial Products," by clicking HERE. The appendices referred to in that report can be downloaded as a .zip file by clicking HERE.

SCALE 	Variable

LOCATION 	Statewide

ATTRIBUTE INFORMATION 	There are two sample maps available, both covering Morgantown, WV (1892 & 1921). Also available are two documents listing collections held at Wise Library, West Virginia University, and the West Virginia State Archives.

DATA SOURCE LINEAGE 	The catalog documents were compiled in 2007 by the West Virginia GIS Technical Center in conjunction with the relevent agency. The West Virginia GIS Technical Center georeferenced two images during that same time period for demonstration purposes.

COORDINATE SYSTEM 	UTM NAD83 Zone 17 North

FILE FORMAT 	.tif and .pdf

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION 	For access to each West Virginia collection, contact the appropriate agency:

West Virginia & Regional Historical Collection, Wise Library
Michael Ridderbusch, Assistant Curator
Phone: (304) 293-4040 x4203

West Virginia State Archives
Susan Scouras
Phone: (304) 558-0230 x742

To inquire about commerically available Sanborn maps, contact:

Environmental Data Resources, Inc.
Phone: (800) 352-0050