These maps depict a range from individual buildings to panoramic views of large urban areas. They record the evolution of cities illustrating the development and nature of economic activities, educational and religious facilities, parks, street patterns and widths, and transportation systems.

The panoramic map was a popular cartographic form used to depict U.S. and Canadian cities and towns during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Known also as bird's-eye views, perspective maps, and aero views, panoramic maps are nonphotographic representations of cities portrayed as if viewed from above at an oblique angle. Although not generally drawn to scale, they show street patterns, individual buildings, and major landscape features in perspective.

If your house or property is in a town, whether big or small, be sure to view the Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps. The Sanborn Map Company, the best known of the U.S. fire-insurance map producers, has made maps since 1867. The fire insurance maps produced by Sanborn show building footprints, building material, height or number of stories, building use, lot lines, road widths and water facilities. The maps also show street names and property boundaries of the time. This collection of maps is historically significant as it is sometimes the best detailed map of a town or city dating from the mid 1800s. Follow your community backwards from the latest map available to the earliest one created. If your town is particularly small, look at neighboring communities too. Sometimes the set of maps made for a county seat or more populated area will include smaller villages close by. Also see the Union List of Sanborn & Other Fire Insurance Maps External for the most comprehensive list of maps that are known to exist. These include maps at the Library of Congress as well as other repositories.