Welcome to February’s installment: the start of a series on working in Cabbagetown! As many of you all probably know, doing architectural work in Cabbagetown can be very challenging. A myriad of complicated rules, preferences, neighborhood and government committees, and zoning regulations surround any proposed project. Over the next few months we’ll delve into how we go about working in one of the most fiercely protected historic areas in Atlanta and the joys and challenges that come with the territory.
In many cases, our journey begins by looking at historic maps. We use maps to prove that proposed changes have historical precedent. The seal pictured above is from the Sanborn Map Company. Active from 1866, these maps were commonly used until the 1960’s to assess fire insurance liability. However, the detailed snapshot of a certain moment in the past is useful today as well. Different scales of the map can tell us a lot about how not only whole neighborhoods changed, but also about how specific structures changed through time.
Index sheet showing different zones of Atlanta
A portion of Cabbagetown
Detail crop: lot lines, house dimensions, and even water lines!
Sanborn Maps are now available through many public institutions, including the Library of Congress.