Online Sanborn Maps on the Library of Congress

Sanborn fire insurance maps were created by the Sanborn Map Company to assist insurance companies in assessing risk. These colorful maps give us a glimpse into towns of all sizes. We can see where the buildings were located, what they were made of, and, for commercial properties, what type of business occupied the space.

The Library of Congress has digitized some of its collection of Sanborn maps and are available for free on their website. Be sure to refer to the key that explains what the colors mean.

Here are the ones currently available online for Indiana:

Benton County:
Ambia, 1895
Ambia, 1901 
Ambia, 1910
Ambia, 1921

Boone County:
Advance, 1909
Advance, 1919

Delaware County:
Albany, 1892
Albany, 1895
Albany, 1899
Albany, 1910
Albany, 1920

Fulton County:
Akron, 1896
Akron, 1901 
Akron, 1912
Akron, 1920

Hamilton County:
Arcadia, 1896
Arcadia, 1902
Arcadia, 1909 
Arcadia, 1915
Atlanta, 1902
Atlanta, 1909

Huntington County:
Andrews, 1895
Andrews, 1900
Andrews, 1912
Andrews, 1919


Madison County:
Alexandria, 1892
Alexandria, 1896
Alexandria, 1902
Alexandria, 1909 
Anderson, 1886
Anderson, 1890
Anderson, 1895 

Marshall County:
Argos, 1892
Argos, 1898
Argos, 1907
Argos, 1913

Noble County:
Albion, 1892 
Albion, 1901
Albion, 1907
Albion, 1914 

Steuben County:
Angola, 1886
Angola, 1892
Angola, 1897
Angola, 1907
Angola, 1914
Ashley, 1909
Ashley, 1917 

Portion of the Alexandria, Indiana Sanborn map, 1902.