Cincinnati library has Sanborn maps online

The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County is digitizing its Sanborn Fire Insurance Map collection, and its first two volumes now are available to the public.

Spanning the years between 1904 and 1930, the maps, available in PDF format and between 2 MB and 4 MB in size, show street plans, building outlines, property boundaries and building uses.

Originally created for assessing fire insurance liability in urbanized areas, Sanborn maps are now often used by historians and genealogists, preservationists and city planners.

The Library also has established a Facebook page to alert users of updates to its online content.