Site in 1917 - the Goad's Map

For every location in the U.S.A. and Canada there is a historical series of fire insurance maps that chronicle the buildings that sat in each location in the city. The maps run from about 1870 until about 1955. They are color-coded by construction type and always show how water could be delivered to the building to fight a fire. It shows where the hydrants are. It also names proprietors of businesses, when known. The maps are watercolour wash over black india ink and then notational systems are added over line work and wash. They were periodically modified and updated. Look closely at the enlargement of this file and look for the "cut in" chunks of water color paper glued to the sheet so an area could be updated. The splice lines become a relief of the history of change in the city. The maps were held in the insurance capitol of the world, New York, and from the data in the map a New York insurance broker would set the going rate on insuring a building against fire, which was much more common than it is today. Today these are the best record of localized change and shifts in a city's fabric.

In the USA these maps are called SANBORN Maps. In Canada we call these GOAD'S maps.