The Dallas Public Library received a grant from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission TexTreasures program to help preserve, digitize and place online the Murphy and Bolanz collection of real estate maps of Dallas County between 1880-1920. The grant provided funds to preserve and digitize the 3 neighborhood addition books from the collection, transcribe the index and develop a web site.

In 1874, John P. Murphy established a real estate firm and started creating plats of every neighborhood addition in Dallas County. Charles F. Bolanz joined the firm in 1884, and together they produced a set of maps of each addition and block in Dallas and some of the surrounding suburban towns. The maps provide a snapshot of Dallas as it existed in those early days. The maps show every street, every creek (even those since turned into storm sewers), every railroad crossing, most cemeteries, and property ownership.

The Dallas Public Library believes the benefits to users in Dallas, in Texas and throughout the United States are innumerable. Those who would find benefit in using these maps include legal researchers, environmental site assessors, genealogists, historic preservation specialists, urban historians, and teachers and students. The maps are available for viewing at the address below., and maps will be added as they are processed.