If you are interested in local history, genealogy, or the history of your house, you might want to give Sanborn maps a try.
In the late 1800s and 1900s the Sanborn Map Company published detailed street maps of urban (densely populated) areas all over the country. These were to assist fire insurance companies in assessing their liability as they issued policies. The drawings and details written in about building materials, size, windows, etc. are fascinating looks at the structures in a community.
As an example, let’s take a look at the corner of Mohawk Ave. and Ten Broeck, where Scotia Village Hall is currently being renovated.
In 1900 the map shows a 2-story building called Fire Eng(ine) Ho(use), and some detail about supplies inside the firehouse.
In 1914, the fire department has added the little bay windows on the second floor, more information is given about what’s inside, a one-story wagon shed at the back (where the village horses were also kept), and a 2-story Club Ho(use) at the corner of John St. No note of what exactly it was used for, but it was not labeled D for dwelling.
To explore the Scotia of the past, you can view some of these maps online at the Library of Congress. Or you could look at another town you know pretty well, or one where your ancestors lived.
Here’s how to get started. Go to the Library of Congress at https://www.loc.gov and type Sanborn maps into the search box.
Click on Collection Sanborn Maps.
There are 3 choices at the top:
Read the “About this Collection” part and the “Articles & Essays” if you like—it’s pretty interesting.
Click on “Collection Items” to search for the maps.
On the left hand side select Available Online, United States, New York, Schenectady County.
Scotia is included in the 1894 and 1900 Schenectady maps, and has its own map in 1914. Each map has many pages; the first pages have a street index and picture of the individual map coverage areas.
Have fun exploring!