Better late than never: In honor of Preservation Month

Preservation Matters!
The National Trust for Historic Preservation celebrated the 4th annual National Preservation Month in May 2008! Their theme was "This Place Matters."

Renewed Interest: Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
For anyone who has wondered what their "Main Street" looked like in the late 1800s, the Sanborn Fire Insurance maps might hold research promise! Preservation Magazine featured the article "Map Quest: How Sanborn Fire Maps Can Guide Restorations, by Mary Beth Klatt, in their March 28, 2008 issue. She explores how homeowners are returning to historic Sanborn maps for their restoration projects. According to Grace DuMelle, president of Chicago-based Heartland Historical Research, more homeowners are interested in ways to ensure their restoration projects are historically accurate-- and these vintage drawings provide a wealth of information!
When D. A. Sanborn started his company in Manhattan in 1867, he intended to serve insurance underwriters by showing a building's fire risk. Each map gives information about the buildings on a town block, including the materials used in construction and whether the building was commercial or residential. Sanborn employees traveled around the country, literally pasting the changes on existing maps until newer versions were created. The Sanborn Co. flourished until the 1950s, when the insurance industry came up with new ways to gauge risk that made the maps obsolete.
To read the full article, go to the Preservation Magazine site.

Going Green?
Preservation Magazine's January/February 2008 issue is dedicated to eco-friendly restoration. To see their articles, take a few minutes to browse the table of contents.