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Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps Collection

 Collection
Identifier: SEAA-125

Scope and Contents

This collection includes several fire insurance maps made by the Sanborn Map Company. 46 volumes of the maps are for New Orleans and cover 1876–1940s (updated through the 1960s). The two volumes for 1876 are the earliest Sanborns for New Orleans, and the only known copies. There are also 24 volumes for other cities in Louisiana and 14 volumes for cities in Mississippi. Maps show individual blocks in cities, and include buildings on each property. Buildings are color coded to indicate materials of which they are constructed. Symbols and notes provide additional information. Maps are drawn to a large scale showing buildings in considerable detail. Many volumes were updated using pasted corrections. Date corrections were made to volumes is indicated at the beginning of each volume, though individual corrections are not dated on each sheet.

Black-and-white digital versions are available online through Tulane campus computers. In 2017, the Library of Congress released color digital versions of pre-1900 Sanborns. SEAA’s 1876 Sanborns were digitized in the same year and are available through the Tulane University Digital Library. Researchers are encouraged to utilize the online maps before consulting the physical copies in SEAA.

Dates

  • Creation: 1876-1960s

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

This collection is the physical property of Tulane University Special Collections. Copyright belongs to the creators or their legal heirs and assigns. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or owner’s heir for permission to publish where Tulane University Special Collections does not hold the copyright. For further information, please contact Research Services at specialcollections@tulane.edu.

Extent

229.07 Linear Feet (105 volumes)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into four series: Series 1: New Orleans; Series 2: New Orleans Copies; Series 3: Louisiana, Outside New Orleans; Series 4: Louisiana Duplicates.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Maps have been in the collections of Howard-Tilton Library, Tulane University since the late 1960s, having been donated by unidentified insurance agencies.

Existence and Location of Copies

Items in Series 1 have been digitized and can been made available in the Reading Room by contacting Research Services at specialcollections@tulane.edu.

Existence and Location of Copies

Items in Series 1 can be accessed remotely by visiting the Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps digital collection at the Tulane University Digital Library.

Existence and Location of Copies

Part of this collection has been digitized by another institution. Copies of volumes in Series 1 can be accessed online through the Library of Congress.

Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Tulane University Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Jones Hall Room 202
6801 Freret Street
New Orleans 70118 US