Visions Government Solutions puts towns and cities assessing data online in 9 states: VT, NH, ME, MA, CT, RI, PA and VA.:
https://www.vgsi.com/taxpayer-info/
Service is on a town-by-town basis; you won't find my house here because our assessing company has its own site. But if you want the overall dimensions of the Amesbury MA Eastern RR station, select Massachusetts, then Amesbury, enter 32 Elm St. Click on the plan to show it in a separate window, then have your browser save it as an image. All properties appear to have a current picture of one side.
I made the thread title clearer, and here's an example: 114 High St. is a historic house which was the American Legion in my youth. I can easily photograph the building, but I don't know the owners so measuring it might not be possible. However, square footage of a structure is central to most property tax assessment, and the information is public so everyone in town can compare their valuations.
114HighAmericanLegionFront_v1.jpg
114HighPlan.jpg
That is a pretty handy site. I wish we had that for the pacific north west. Very handy for getting started on a new building for sure.
Thanks for posting this JB!
Quote from: Rail and Tie on January 13, 2026, 01:52:36 PMThat is a pretty handy site. I wish we had that for the pacific north west. Very handy for getting started on a new building for sure.
Thanks for posting this JB!
You're welcome. These days, most towns and cities with more than a few thousand population have assessing data like this online. When I first found that out, some showed plans for upper floors, but these days most standardize on the minimum. If you're interested in a building that's still standing, look up the town (or maybe county in the West and South) to see what's online. Once I asked a Tax Collector's clerk nicely (and not the week taxes were due) if they'd scan me an old card for a demolished building. It appeared in my email a day later:
113MerrimacPlan.jpg
My wife built it from the plan and photos I'd taken during its decline:
IMGP5126_v1.JPG
The attached 1-story building on the left was a different map & lot number, so had its own assessing plan.