The Sanborn maps were created to aid in setting fire insurance policies. Today they serve as one of the best historical records of physical development in many cities and towns. Some of the information shown on the Sanborn maps includes:

• Street addresses and street names

• Building footprints
• Porches
• Construction type
• Accessory buildings
• Alleys
• Lot lines

In Des Moines, the main Sanborn updates available online are 1884, 1891 1901, and 1920 (with updates through 1950). The maps chart the city's development over time – as new areas incorporated they were added to the maps, so earlier versions may not show all areas. The 1901 map, for example, only shows a small portion of today's Drake neighborhood.

How to Look Up an Address

Online access to the Sanborn maps is available through the Des Moines Public Library (library card required) and the State Library of Iowa (free library card required).

To look up an address using the Des Moines Public Library site:

1. Open http://www.pldminfo.org/search/databases.html in your web browser

2. Click on “Digital Sanborn Maps of Iowa (use outside the library)”
3. Enter your Des Moines Library Card Number and PIN (last 4 digits of your phone number)
4. Select State (IA), City (Des Moines), and Year (start with the earliest for your neighborhood)
5. Click on the “Index” page thumbnail to locate your address of interest (can zoom in and pan)
6. Note the page number of the address range that contains your property and go back the the main Sanborn thumbnail window (you can close the window with the index page if you want).
7. Click on the appropriate page thumbnail (opens in a new window).
8. Pan and zoom until you find your house.

Click HERE or on the link below to download a PDF file with illustrations of the process.