Author Kim Keister describes the legacy of Sanborn maps: 'Stated simply, the Sanborn maps survive as a guide to American urbanization that is unrivaled by other cartography and, for that matter, by few documentary resources of any kind.' Mapping for insurance, and specifically fire insurance, purposes had existed for a century prior to the emergence of the Sanborn Company, first beginning in London in the late 18th century.
The maps include detailed information regarding town and building information in approximately 12,000 U.S. Sanborn Maps were originally created for assessing fire insurance liability in urban areas in the United States. The map is one of apparently 2 sheets that covered Great Barrington, although most of the commercial and residential districts are on this sheet. The map shows propoerty owners, street names, public and private buildings, annd a key identifying the composition of the buildings (Brick, Stone, Wood, etc.) as well as out buildings, roads, railroads,electric railways and water plates. Among the buildings located are several Liveries and the Miller House. Early Sanborn fire insurance map of most of the town of Great Barrington, in the Berkshires on the Housatonic River, extending as far south as Bridge Street and the Town Hall.