The Library’s Picture Collection includes Virginia businesses in its variety of illustrated material. For assistance, ask us.
The Sanborn Map Company produced large-scale fire insurance maps showing detailed information about building use and often providing precise features of large factories or commercial establishments. The Library’s collection consists of over 500 maps of Virginia cities and towns from the late 19th century to 1989.
Additionally, the Library of Virginia subscribes to two fire insurance map databases that provide online access to in-person users and Virginia residents with library accounts.
Historical Virginia fire insurance maps that are in black and white and searchable by city or town. They include information such as building outline, size and shape, windows and doors, street and sidewalk widths, boundaries, and property numbers. Details on building use are often provided, as well as the depiction of pipelines, railroads, wells, water mains, dumps, and other features likely to affect the property's vulnerability to earthquake, fire, and flood.
Historical Virginia fire insurance maps and real estate atlases that are in color and searchable by address, place name, or geographic coordinates. High definition, color and gray-scale images display important historical details such as construction materials which are not visible on black and white map scans. Original index maps have been overlaid with a modern street map to make research easier. Includes some plat books. Coverage: Maps in the public domain 1865–1963.