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Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps show in great detail lots, houses, businesses, and other structures located in the city's central district. Sanborn Maps are also color coded to indicate type of construction: concrete, wood frame, brick, etc.

Originally used by insurance agents to set fire insurance rates, Sanborn Maps help date structures, find original lot and building outlines, and locate outbuildings. By comparing maps with different publication dates it is possible to see how cities and neighborhoods evolve and change over the years.

• The following links are to alphabetical indexes of Sanborn Maps in the California Room. Each index includes City name, date of map, and microfilm roll number. The coverage is limited to cities in Santa Clara County.
   
  • Alviso to Mountain View
     
  • Palo Alto to Sunnyvale
     
• Digital Sanborn Maps, 1867-1970 - These are Web versions of the maps and cover cities throughout California.