Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps - South Dakota This link opens in a new windowCollection of historical maps of South Dakota communities created by Sanborn Map Company from 1867 to 1970. Large scale plans of a city or town, drawn to a scale of 50 feet to an inch, created to assist fire insurance companies as they assessed the risk associated with insuring a particular property. Includes building outlines, size and shape, windows and doors, street and sidewalk widths, boundaries, and property numbers. Plans often include details on construction materials and building use; and also depict pipelines, railroads, wells, water mains, dumps, and other features likely to affect the property's vulnerability to earthquake, fire, and flood. Multiple editions allow community development to be tracked over time.