Jesse, since you indicate the desire to model Anaheim I assume you are located in the Orange County area. If so, the archives located in the basement of the Old Orange County Courthouse in Santa Ana is another source of Sanborn maps, along with many photos. I found the archivists there very helpful and knowledgeable and they are willing to make photocopies.
But before attempting use of Sanborn maps you probably need to pin down not only your modeling era (Sanborn maps are dated) but also a more specific location than just ¡°Anaheim¡± which is a big area. A good free online source for anyone modeling a specific era and locale is historicaerials.com. A particular area such as Anaheim can be viewed via old aerial photos switching from year to year. The road overlay option is very helpful in pinpointing locations. It is possible to ¡°follow the tracks¡± into areas that might be candidates for modeling. Higher res images can be purchased if desired once a specific time & place are determined. That information can also used to find the proper Sanborn with more detailed information.
Anyone modeling a specific area should always seek out the local history association and the city¡¯s library for a local history room. Anaheim has both and they both have an online presence, but initially consider an in-person visit as the curators can serve as your guide.
You already mentioned citrus packing houses. Anyone modeling Southern California should bookmark on their computers Historic Packing Houses of Southern California, Dr Jim Lancaster¡¯s definitive website on the subject. Merely select the county and then city and you will have a wealth of valuable information.
In the case of Anaheim plan to pop over to the Anaheim Packing District, now a food court, to get a sense of the architecture.
Bruce Hendrick
Brea
