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"Fire Insurance Maps, Their History and Applications," a new book from
Lacewing Press,  has just been released.
 
"Fire Insurance Maps, Their History and Applications" is the most
comprehensive book written about these little known cartographic
treasures!
 
What They are Saying...
Walter W. Ristow, Retired Chief, Geography and Map Division, Library of
Congress said  "Congratulations on a job well done! In this volume Oswald
details the origins, development and decline of fire insurance maps and
suggests how these valuable cartographic resources can be used today!"
 
Richard Boardman, Head Map Collection, Free Library of Philadelphia says
"For a city like Philadelphia, the combination of Hexamer and Sanborn
maps paint a very detailed portrait of urban growth over an extended
period of time. This book is a very welcome addition to scarce
information on the history of fire insurance mapping."
 
Carol Roark, Texas/Dallas History and Archives Division, Dallas Public
Library said "Little known to the general public, Sanborn Fire Insurance
maps offer researchers a rich and detailed view of the physical layout
and development of America's cities. Oswald's fascinating story discusses
not only the Sanborn Company and its mapmaking process, but also examines
the wide variety of uses for these footprints of American History."
 
Readers will discover:
 -The wide range of current applications for the maps.
 -Detailed descriptions of the map-making process
        from the surveyors, drafters and pasters who created the maps.
-The history of Hexamer, Rasher, Dakin and other fire
        insurance map publishers.
 -What life as a traveling fire insurance map surveyor
         was really like through historical and humorous
                         anecdotes from the map surveyors
themselves.
-The challenges and adventures of creating and
                                         distributing these
cartographic treasures
 
About the Author: Diane Oswald is a life-long student and collector of
                cartography. She is the author of two books and over
60 magazine articles. She is a featured speaker at
conferences, workshops and classrooms.
 
ISBN: 0-9659698-0-0   Retail $9.95,  Pages 102,   Size 5.5" x 8.5", title
on spine,  two color cover, 15 b&w illustrations, Index, List of sources
 
To order: Send $9.95 per book plus $2.00 shipping (Add 8.25% tax for
Texas orders. Orders outside the U.S. e-mail for pricing) to Lacewing
Press, 15889 Woodlake Drive, College Station, TX 77845. Quantity
discounts are available on orders of 10 or more copies. E-mail or write
for details. Most orders are sent out within two business days.