Map of City of Sanford and Environs, 1926
Created in October of 1926 by Sanford’s city engineer, Fred T. Williams, this surveyor's map depicts the City of Sanford, Florida, and its environs. During his tenure as city engineer from the 1920s through the early 1940s, Williams created multiple maps that show how Sanford has changed as the city limits grew and the city become more populated. Unlike some of the previous maps created by Williams, there seems to be no legend detailing the map. This particular map is difficult to read due to fading. The City of Sanford was founded by a lawyer and diplomat from Connecticut by the name of Henry Shelton Sanford (1832-1891), who purchased 12,548 acres of open land west of Mellonville. His vision was to make this new land a major port city. Situated on Lake Monroe at the head of the St. Johns River, the City of Sanford earned the nickname of “The Gate City of South Florida.” Sanford became not only a transportation hub, but a leader in the citrus industry globally. The Great Fire of 1887 devastated the city, which also suffered from a statewide epidemic of yellow fever the following year. The citrus industry flourished until the Great Freezes of 1894 and 1895, causing planters to begin growing celery in 1896 as an alternative. Celery replaced citrus as the city's cash crop and Sanford was nicknamed "Celery City." In 1913, Sanford became the county seat of Seminole County, once part of Orange County. Agriculture dominated the region until Walt Disney World opened in October 1971, effectively shifting the Central Florida economy towards tourism and residential development.
Original 43.5 x 28.5 inch map by Fred T. Williams, 1926: Museum of Sanford History, Sanford, Florida.
Melon is Cut by Bank Directors: Sanford Atlantic Bank Declares a Dividend
A newspaper article published by The Central Florida Press on June 20, 1930. The article reports that the Sanford Atlantic National Bank had declared a dividend of $1.50 during a meeting of the board of directors held on June 17. According to the article, A. L. Betts was elected assistant cashier and that board of directors had lowered the interest rate on saving deposits and on time certificates. The article also reported that the interest rate on call loans in New York had dropped to 2.5 percent, showing that an abundance of money was available for safe investment. The bank was Originally established in 1928, but was later renamed the Atlantic National Bank of Sanford in 1974. In 1978, the bank was renamed the Atlantic National Bank of Seminole. In 1981, the bank was acquired by the Atlantic National Bank of Florida, was moved to 101 East First Street, and became a branch of the First Union National Bank of Florida.
Original newspaper article: "Melon is Cut by Bank Directors: Sanford Atlantic Bank Declares a Dividend." The Central Florida Press, Vol. 1, No. 9, June 20, 1930, page 1: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Sanford Atlantic National Bank, Sanford, Florida
Public Opinion Sought on Taxes: Sanford Citizens to Express Views on Sales Tax Plan
A newspaper article published by The Central Florida Press on June 20, 1930. The article announces a meeting of the League of Municipalities, and organization composed of numerous cities in Florida, to discuss the possibility of a sales tax on luxury goods for Sanford, Florida. The meeting was scheduled for June 26-27 in St. Petersburg. According to the article, the chamber of commerce in Sanford had planned to vote on the issue on June 23.
Original newspaper article: "Public Opinion Sought on Taxes: Sanford Citizens to Express Views on Sales Tax Plan." The Central Florida Press, Vol. 1, No. 9, June 20, 1930, page 1: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
St. Johns River Floods Rampant: Lake Monroe May Overflow Banks
Lake Monroe (Seminole County and Volusia County, Fla.)
A newspaper article published by The Central Florida Press on June 20, 1930. The article describes floods occurring on the bulkheads of Lake Monroe, which is part of the St. Johns River system. The flooding was first reported by J. A. Young, who was the superintendent of the Florida Light and Power Company in Sanford, Florida.
Original newspaper article: "St. Johns River Floods Rampant: Lame Monroe May Overflow Banks." The Central Florida Press, Vol. 1, No. 9, June 20, 1930, page 1: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Financiers Plan For Institution: New Sanford Bank May Be Organized
A newspaper article published by The Central Florida Press on June 20, 1930. The article describes rumors about the establishment of a new bank in the old First National Bank No. 2 Building, located at 101 East First Street in Sanford, Florida. According to the article, the bank would have a capital of $100,000 and a surplus of $30,000. Also known as Sanford's first skyscraper, the First National Bank Building was designed by Mowbray & Uffinger of New York. Construction began in 1922 using steel, limestone, brick, and tile. A major reason why masonry and steel was used in the construction of the building was in response to a fire that occurred in Sanford in 1887. Originating from a bakery in downtown, many of the surrounding buildings were destroyed because they were constructed out of wood. After the fire, commercial buildings were constructed either with bricks or masonry. The First National Bank remained in the building until 1929. The building has served as a home for several banks since 1938.
Original newspaper article: "Financiers Plan For Institution: New Sanford Bank May Be Organized." The Central Florida Press, Vol. 1, No. 9, June 20, 1930, page 1: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
First National Bank No. 2, Sanford, Florida
The entry feature of the San Lanta subdivision, which was constructed at the corner of South Sanford Avenue and East Fourteenth Street in Sanford, Florida, in 1924.
Original black and white photograph by Woodward: Elton Moughton Archives, Private Collection of Christine Dalton.
Northwest Corner of South Magnolia Avenue and East Second Street
The parking lot on the northwest corner of South Magnolia Avenue and East Second Street in Downtown Sanford, Florida, in 2012. In the 1920s, a building designed by architect Elton James Moughton was located here.
Original color photograph by Christine Dalton, 2012: Elton Moughton Archives, Private Collection of Christine Dalton.
Northwest Corner of South Magnolia Avenue and East Second Street, 1924
Automobile industry and trade--Southern States
The building on the northwest corner of South Magnolia Avenue and East Second Street in Downtown Sanford, Florida. The building was designed by architect Elton James Moughton. As of 2012, the location is being used as a parking lot. The Seminole Hotel, later renamed the Florida Hotel, can also be seen on the far left in this photograph. The hotel, which was located at 101 East First Street, is also known for housing the office of W. T. Cotter, a local architect, in the 1880s.
Original black and white photograph by Woodward: item 14264-JJ4: Elton Moughton Archives, Private Collection of Christine Dalton.
Seminole Hotel, Downtown Sanford, Florida
Ford Motor Company Dealership in Downtown Sanford
The Ford Motor Company dealership that was located on the southeast corner of North Palmetto Avenue and East Commercial Avenue in Downtown Sanford, Florida, around 1924. The building was designed by architect Elton James Moughton. As of 2012, the location is being used as a parking lot.
Original black and white photograph by Woodward: item 14264-W: Elton Moughton Archives, Private Collection of Christine Dalton.
Ford Motor Company Dealership, Downtown Sanford, Florida
Former Lot of Ford Motor Company Dealership
The former lot of the Ford Motor Company dealership that was located on the southeast corner of Palmetto Avenue and Commercial Avenue in Downtown Sanford, Florida. The dealership was located here in the 1920s. At the time that this photograph was taken in 2012, the location was being used as a parking lot.
A postcard featuring East First Street in Sanford, Florida, in the 1930s or 1940s. The Victory Bar and the Sanford Atlantic National Bank, which was located at 1010 East First Street can been seen on the left. On the right of the photograph is a drugstore with advertisements for Coca-Cola soft drinks.
Original 9 x 14 centimeter black and white photographic postcard: "First Street, Sanford, Florida": Special Collections & University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
The historic marker for the PICO Hotel, located at 209 North Oak Avenue in Sanford, Florida. The building was constructed in 1887 for Henry B. Plant (1819-1899), President of the Plant Investment Company (PICO). The onion-shaped dome located on the southwest corner of the roof resembled a Turkish minaret. The dome was destroyed by a severe thunderstorm in the 1950s and was never replaced. The PICO Hotel served as the terminal hotel for a railroad and two steamship lines owned by Plant. One of the hotel's famous guests was President Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933), who spent the night at the PICO Hotel during his visit to Sanford.
Original historic marker, December 19, 2010.
An oal history of Bette Skates, conducted by Diana Dombrowski on July 9, 2010. As the historian of the Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Sanford, Florida, Skates discusses growing up in Sanford, how Sanford has changed over time, her educational and family history, her career as a teacher, school integration, the history and activities of the Holy Cross Episcopal Church, her role as church historian, how education has changed over time, ad Florida's Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT).
Skates, Bette. Interviewed by Diana Dombrowski. July 9, 2010. Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
Geneva Elementary School, Geneva, Florida
Holy Cross Episcopal Church, Sanford, Florida's. Gertrude's Grove, Sanford Florida
An oral history of Bette Skates, conducted by Austin Smith on July 14, 2010. As the historian of the Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Sanford, Florida, Skates discusses the history of the church and other churches in Sanford, missionaries at Mellonville and Camp Monroe, the founding of the City of Sanford by Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), and how the church and the city has changed over time. The interview also includes commentary from Alicia Clarke, curator of the Sanford Museum, and Grace Marie Stinecipher (b. 1936), historian of the First Baptist Church of Sanford.
Skates, Bette. Interviewed by Austin Smith. July 14, 2010. Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
Holy Cross Episcopal Church, Sanford, Florida
First United Methodist Church, Sanford, Florida
All Souls Catholic Church Historic Chapel, Sanford, Florida
All Souls Catholic Church, Sanford, Florida's
An oral history of Grace Marie Stinecipher (b. 1936), conducted by Diana Dombrowski on July 13, 2010. Stinecipher was born in Sanford, Florida on September 19, 1936. In this interview, she discusses her family history, growing up in Sanford, her career in education, living in Orlando and Winter Park, school integration, the effects of the Naval Air Station (NAS) Sanford and Walt Disney World Resort on Sanford, the First Baptist Church of Sanford, her role as a church historian, organizing new churches and missions, her career in journalism, and her childhood experiences at New Smyrna Beach.
Stinecipher, Grace Marie. Interviewed by Diana Dombrowski. July 13, 2010. Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
Chance Education Building, Sanford, Florida; Orlando, Florida
Naval Air Station Sanford, Sanford, Florida
Central Baptist Church, Sanford, Florida
Pinecrest Baptist Church, Sanford, Florida
Westview Baptist Church, Sanford, Florida
An oral history of David Scott, conducted by Susan Holcomb on April 9, 2010. Scott was the son of Grady Scott, who served as Superintendent of the Old Folks Home, formerly located at 300 Bush Boulevard in Sanford, Florida. The property has since been converted into the Museum of Seminole County History. In this interview, Scott discusses the layout and residents at the home, his responsibilities as an employee, growing up in Sanford, and how Sanford has changed over time.
Scott, David. Interviewed by Susan Holcomb. April 9, 2010. Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida
Dr. George H. Starke (ca. 1899-ca.1979) receiving an award for his work as a physician. Starke opened his practice in Sanford, Florida, in 1927. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Starke became one of only four African-American physicians to be accepted by Harvard University for residency at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. He practiced for several years in Boston and then returned to Sanford in 1933 and continued to practice medicine until his death at the age of 80. For many years, Dr. Starke was the only black doctor in Sanford . Dr. Starke was also the first African-American doctor to acquire membership in the Florida Medical Association and the Seminole County Medical Association, as well as the second to join the American Medical Association. In 1971, the City of Sanford named George Starke Park, located at 1501 West Third Street, in his honor.
Digital reproduction of original black and white photographs: Dr. G.H. Starke Collection, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Dr. George H. Starke (ca. 1899-ca.1979), an African-American physician who practiced in Sanford, Florida. Starke opened his practice in Sanford, in 1927. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Starke became one of only four African-American physicians to be accepted by Harvard University for residency at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. He practiced for several years in Boston and then returned to Sanford in 1933 and continued to practice medicine until his death at the age of 80. For many years, Dr. Starke was the only black doctor in Sanford . Dr. Starke was also the first African-American doctor to acquire membership in the Florida Medical Association and the Seminole County Medical Association, as well as the second to join the American Medical Association. In 1971, the City of Sanford named George Starke Park, located at 1501 West Third Street, in his honor.
Original black and white photographs: Dr. G.H. Starke Collection, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Waterfront Park at the Sanford House Hotel
This photograph is of the waterfront on Commercial Street in Sanford, Florida. The Palm Avenue Dock is in the distance and the foreground is the park at the Sanford House Hotel. There is a century plant in the center of walkway in the park. The Sanford House Hotel Park, adjoining the Sanford House Hotel, overlooked the waterfront of Lake Monroe at Commercial Street and Palmetto Avenue in 1934. The hotel was built by Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) with the intent of attracting tourists and providing housing for would-be wealthy settlers to the city of Sanford. The Sanford House Hotel was joined by the Lake Monroe House, a lower-cost alternative geared towards laborers, both of which were completed in 1876. Facing the waterfront, the hotel was located at the intersection of Commercial Street and Palmetto Avenue. The Sanford House Hotel featured three stories—two of which included porches—and enough rooms to serve 150 guests. The hotel’s landscaping included flower beds and citrus trees. A boardwalk led visitors straight from the hotel to the shores of Lake Monroe. Rates for a room in 1884 ranged from $15 to $20 per week. The 1887 fire came very close to the Sanford House, and it was feared that sparks would add it to the destruction. What saved it were wet blankets which were draped from the roof and windows. The Sanford House Hotel was torn down in May of 1920. At the turn of the century, the Sanford House Hotel was the center of all major city events and celebrations. While guide books from the period often included positive reference to the hotel, it failed to attract many visitors. The hotel did not make any profit during its first years of operation. By its third year, the 1879-1880 season, the hotel netted only $800 in profits. The hotel continued to make meager profits for the remainder of the nineteenth century. Nonetheless, it served as a central point of focus during city celebrations during the period.
Original 11 inch x 8.5 inch photograph by Upton, 1882: Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Sanford Looking West from Commercial Street
This photograph was taken from Commercial Street looking West towards Oak Avenue in Sanford, Florida. The railroad dock can be seen in the distance. When Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) first established the City of Sanford, he laid out the streets on a grid plan. Streets running toward Lake Monroe were given names of native Florida trees, while streets running parallel to the lake were numbered.
The former building at First Street and Magnolia Avenue in Sanford, Florida, prior to the construction of the N. P. Yowell Building and Garner Woodruff Building. The building was named after Fort Reid, which was established by Colonel William S. Harney (1800-1889) on July 7, 1840. Col. Harney named the fort after Robert R. Reid (1789-1841), the fourth Territorial Governor of Florida. "Reed" is another common spelling used in Sanford. Newton P. Yowell first came to Central Florida in 1884 with his family. Nine years after arriving in Florida, Yowell borrowed money from his mother and friends and opened a dry goods store. Shortly after Yowell opened his store in Sanford, the freeze of 1894-1895 hit the community. Even though crops were damaged and many people left Sanford, the Yowell Store remained open and survived the hard economic times. After the freeze, Yowell began construction on a new two-story brick building that would become the new store.
North Palmetto Avenue and East Commercial Street, Sanford, Florida
Sanford Looking Northeast from the Sanford House Hotel
This photograph was taken from the porch of the Sanford House Hotel looking northeast. Sanford's telegraph office and Henry Shelton Sanford's (1823-1891) company store are located at the base of Palmetto Avenue. The docks at Palmetto Avenue can also be seen in the image. The Sanford House Hotel was built by Henry Sanford with the intent of attracting tourists and providing housing for would-be wealthy settlers to the city of Sanford, Florida. The hotel was joined by the Lake Monroe House, a lower-cost alternative geared towards laborers, both of which were completed in 1876. Facing the waterfront, the hotel was located at the intersection of Commercial Street and Palmetto Avenue. The Sanford House Hotel featured three stories—two of which included porches—and enough rooms to serve 150 guests. The hotel’s landscaping included flower beds and citrus trees. A boardwalk led visitors straight from the hotel to the shores of Lake Monroe. Rates for a room in 1884 ranged from $15 to $20 per week. The 1887 fire came very close to the Sanford House, and it was feared that sparks would add it to the destruction. What saved it were wet blankets which were draped from the roof and windows. The Sanford House Hotel was torn down in May of 1920. At the turn of the century, the Sanford House Hotel was the center of all major city events and celebrations. While guide books from the period often included positive reference to the hotel, it failed to attract many visitors. The hotel did not make any profit during its first years of operation. By its third year, the 1879-1880 season, the hotel netted only $800 in profits. The hotel continued to make meager profits for the remainder of the nineteenth century. Nonetheless, it served as a central point of focus during city celebrations during the period.
Michael J. Doyle's Dry Goods & Grocery Store, 1882
Michael J. Doyle's Dry Goods & Grocery Store in Sanford, Florida, in 1882. Doyle was an Irish immigrant who originally settled in Volusia County prior to the American Civil War. His store was most likely located on First Street between Palmetto Avenue and Magnolia Avenue.
Michael J. Doyle's Dry Goods and Grocery Store, Sanford, Florida
Palmetto Avenue and First Street in Sanford, 1882
First Street between Palmetto Avenue and Magnolia Avenue in Sanford, Florida, in 1882. On the southeast corner of Palmetto and First is the town drug store, which also housed the post office. The two-story building to the south of the drug store is Hester & Sheppard's saloon. West of the drug store is the George A. Sawyer building. P. J. Parramore's livery stable can also been seen in the distance of the left-hand side of the photograph. An artesian well of sulphur water is photographed in the center of the Palmetto-First intersection. The backyard of the Sanford House Hotel is on the northwest corner of the intersection. Henry L. DeForest's general store is located northward across First Street. On First Street, west of DeForest's store, is Darady's saloon. The Stafford & Ellis hardware store and tinshop was located in the tall building across First Street. Rudoplh Muller's boardinghouse and barber shop is the wide house behind the large oak tree, with Louis Hoefer's bakery to the west.
Palm Avenue and First Street, Sanford, Florida
FIRE!! The Fire Fiend's Destructive Work at Sanford
A newspaper article about a fire that occurred on August 18, 1886, in Sanford, Florida. According to the article, the fire was first discovered in the Trafford and Company hardware store, located at the corner of North Park Avenue and West Commercial Street. The fire spread to Parramore's Livery stables and the depot and offices of the South Florida Railroad Company.
Print reproduction of microfilmed newspaper advertisements: The South Florida Argus, August 19, 1886: Microfilm Cabinet, Reel BN06021, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
South Florida Railroad Station, Sanford, Florida
The South Florida Argus Advertisements (January 8, 1886)
A page of newspaper advertisements from The South Florida Argus issue for January 8, 1886. This issue includes advertisements for various Central Florida-based businesses, including the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC), the Apopka House, the Music House of Florida, and Ensminger Brothers. The South Florida Argus was Republican paper published by Adolphus Edwards and printed in the Old Fort Reed Building on First Street in Sanford, Florida. The Sanford Journal, a Democratic newspaper, had its offices next door in the very same building. There was, of course, some rivalry between the two papers. After some time, Edwards gave up printing The South Florida Argus to become the local postmaster.
Print reproduction of microfilmed newspaper advertisements: The South Florida Argus, January 8, 1886: Microfilm Cabinet, Reel BN06021, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Ensminger Brothers Photography Studio, Sanford, Florida
Music House of Florida, Jacksonville, Florida
Louis I. Stephens' Store, Sanford, Florida
South Florida Argus Vol 2., No. 15, January 6, 1886
The South Florida Argus Vol. 2, No. 15 issue for January 6, 1886. This issue included advertisements for several Sanford-based businesses, including Wilson's Collection Agency, Charles & Vandeman's drug store, the Lyman Bank, and Trafford and Company. The South Florida Argus was Republican paper published by Adolphus Edwards and printed in the Old Fort Reed Building on First Street in Sanford, Florida. The Sanford Journal, a Democratic newspaper, had its offices next door in the very same building. There was, of course, some rivalry between the two papers. After some time, Edwards gave up printing The South Florida Argus to become the local postmaster.
Print reproduction of microfilmed newspaper advertisements: The South Florida Argus, January 6, 1886: Microfilm Cabinet, Reel BN06021, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
South Florida Argus Advertisements (January 6, 1886)
A page of newspaper advertisements in The South Florida Argus issue for January 3, 1886. This issue includes advertisements for the Kissimmee Land Agency, as well as several Sanford-based businesses, including Steele & Bassinger, Scott & Thrasher, L. M. Moore, S. Montgomery, John L. Ferguson, and the New York Jewelry Store. The South Florida Argus was Republican paper published by Adolphus Edwards and printed in the Old Fort Reed Building on First Street in Sanford, Florida. The Sanford Journal, a Democratic newspaper, had its offices next door in the very same building. There was, of course, some rivalry between the two papers. After some time, Edwards gave up printing The South Florida Argus to become the local postmaster.
Kissimmee Land Agency, Kissimmee, Florida
A newspaper advertisement in The South Florida Argus issue for January 3, 1886. This issue includes an advertisement for W. H. Fletcher, a roofer based in Sanford, Florida. The South Florida Argus was Republican paper published by Adolphus Edwards and printed in the Old Fort Reed Building on First Street in Sanford. The Sanford Journal, a Democratic newspaper, had its offices next door in the very same building. There was, of course, some rivalry between the two papers. After some time, Edwards gave up printing The South Florida Argus to become the local postmaster.
Print reproduction of microfilmed newspaper advertisements: The South Florida Argus, January 3, 1886: Microfilm Cabinet, Reel BN06021, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
A newspaper advertisement in The South Florida Argus issue for January 3, 1886. This issue includes an advertisement for Trafford and Company, wholesale and retail dealers located at the corner of North Park Avenue and West Commercial Street in Sanford, Florida. The South Florida Argus was Republican paper published by Adolphus Edwards and printed in the Old Fort Reed Building on First Street in Sanford. The Sanford Journal, a Democratic newspaper, had its offices next door in the very same building. There was, of course, some rivalry between the two papers. After some time, Edwards gave up printing The South Florida Argus to become the local postmaster.
A newspaper advertisement for the South Florida Railroad. The Lake Monroe and Orlando Railroad was organized in 1875. The charter planned to constructed a railroad from the St. Johns River port in Sanford south to Orlando. On October 16, 1878, the South Florida Railroad was incorporated, but it did not receive a charter until December 9, 1879, when it gained control over the Lake Monroe and Orlando Railroad charter. The first train on the new railroad ran between Sanford and Orlando on November 11, 1880. Henry B. Plant (1819-1899) and his Plant System purchased three-fifths of the South Florida Railroad stock on May 4, 1883, and soon began laying tracks towards Tampa, whose railroad station opened on December 10, 1883. In 1893, the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway, which was also a part of the Plant System, acquired the South Florida Railroad. The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) acquired the entire Plant System in 1902. In 1967, the ACL merged with the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL), which is now operated by CSX.
A newspaper advertisement in The South Florida Argus issue for January 3, 1886. This issue includes an advertisement for a new grocery store located in Magruder's Block, diagonally opposite of the San Leon Hotel in Sanford, Florida. The store was run by William H. Adams, Sr.
Print reproduction of microfilmed newspaper advertisements: The South Florida Argus, January 3, 1886: Microfilm Cabinet, reel BN06021, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
William H. Adams, Sr's Grocery Store, Sanford, Florida
M. S. Brown Clothing Store Advertisement
A newspaper advertisement in The South Florida Argus issue for January 3, 1886. This issue includes an advertisement for M. S. Brown, a clothing retailer whose business was located at Gumpert's Block in Sanford, Florida.
M. S. Brown Clothing Store, Sanford, Florida
A newspaper advertisement in The South Florida Argus issue for January 3, 1886. This issue includes an advertisement for the Lyman Bank, located at 101 West First Street in Sanford, Florida. The building was originally constructed in 1883 by Lyman Bank and had a brick facade. In 1887, the bank changed owenership and became the First National Bank No. 1. Building renovations took place the same year, which included adding a marble facade, moving the front entrance to the corner of the building, and placing a clock at the front of the building which would become the town clock located in Magnolia Square. First National Bank. 1 is the oldest brick building in Sanford's downtown commercial district. The organizational meetings to create Rollins College were also held in the same building in 1885.
F. E. Lane Wholesale and Retail Advertisement
A newspaper advertisement in The South Florida Argus issue for January 3, 1886. This issue includes an advertisement for F. E. Lane, a wholesale and retail dealer in hardware, stoves, and other items. Lane's store was located at the corner of East First Street and North Park Avenue in Sanford, Florida.
F. E. Lane Wholesale and Retail, Sanford, Florida
The South Florida Argus Advertisements (January 3, 1886)
Undertakers and undertaking--United States
A page of newspaper advertisements in The South Florida Argus issue for January 3, 1886. This issue includes advertisements for various Sanford-based businesses, including the Home Fertilizer Company, Chase and Company, and the Wigwam. The South Florida Argus was Republican paper published by Adolphus Edwards and printed in the Old Fort Reed Building on First Street in Sanford, Florida. The Sanford Journal, a Democratic newspaper, had its offices next door in the very same building. There was, of course, some rivalry between the two papers. After some time, Edwards gave up printing The South Florida Argus to become the local postmaster.
Print reproduction of microfilmed newspaper advertisements: South Florida Argus, January 3, 1886: Microfilm Cabinet, University of Florida Library Reel BN06021, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
A newspaper article about Sanford, Florida, during the year of 1913. According to the article, the Sanford community had recovered from the Great Freeze of 1886 and was thriving economically by 1913. This page also included an article on the Ford Model A car and two stops on the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) at Lake Mary. The present-day Sanford area was originally inhabited by the Mayaca/Joroco natives by the time that Europeans arrived. The tribe was decimated by war and disease by 1760 and was replaced by the Seminole tribe. In 1821, the United States acquired Florida from Spain and Americans began to settle in the state. Camp Monroe was established in the mid-1830s to defend the area against Seminoles during the Seminole Wars. In 1836, the U.S. Army built a road (present-day Mellonville Avenue) to Camp Monroe during the Second Seminole War. Following an attack on February 8, 1837, the camp was renamed Fort Mellon in honor of the battle's only American casualty, Captain Charles Mellon (1794-1837). The town of Mellonville was founded nearby in 1842 by Daniel Stewart. When Florida became a state three years later, Mellonville became the county seat of Orange County, which was originally a portion of Mosquito County. Citrus was the first cash crop in the area and the first fruit packing plant was constructed in 1869. In 1870, a lawyer from Connecticut by the name of Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) purchased 12,548 acres of open land west of Mellonville. His vision was to make this new land a major port city, both railway and by water. Sitting on Lake Monroe, at the head of the St. Johns River, the city of Sanford earned the nickname of the Gate City of South Florida. Sanford became not only a transportation hub, but a leading citrus industry in Florida, and eventually across the globe. The Great Fire of 1887 devastated the city, which also suffered from a statewide epidemic of yellow fever the following year. The citrus industry flourished until the Great Freezes of 1894 and 1895, causing planters to begin growing celery in 1896 as an alternative. Celery replaced citrus as the city's cash crop and Sanford was nicknamed Celery City. In 1913, Sanford became the county seat of Seminole County, once part of Orange County. Agriculture dominated the region until Walt Disney World opened in October of 1971, effectively shifting the Central Florida economy towards tourism and residential development.
Print reproduction of microfilmed newspaper article: "It Was New Era in 1887." The Sanford Herald, April 26, 1968, Semi-Centennial Edition, page 4: Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
The Sanford Herald
Old Railroad Spur at South Florida Railroad Station
Old railroad spur at the South Florida Railroad station, located at 209 North Oak Avenue in Sanford, Florida, with the Plant Investment Company (PICO) office to the far left of the photograph. The Lake Monroe and Orlando Railroad was organized in 1875. The charter planned to constructed a railroad from the St. Johns River port in Sanford south to Orlando. On October 16, 1878, the South Florida Railroad was incorporated but did not receive a charter until December 9, 1879, when it gained control over the Lake Monroe and Orlando Railroad charter. The first train on the new railroad ran between Sanford and Orlando on November 11, 1880. Henry Plant and his Plant System purchased three-fifths of the South Florida Railroad stock on May 4, 1883 and soon began laying tracks towards Tampa, whose railroad station opened on December 10, 1883. In 1893, the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway, which was also a part of the Plant System, acquired the South Florida Railroad. The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) acquired the entire Plant System in 1902. In 1967, the ACL merged with the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad, which is now operated by CSX.
Original 8.5 inch x 5.25 inch black and white photograph: Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Plant Investment Company, Sanford, Florida
Railroad Fountain During the Freeze of 1898
Several people in next to the sulfur fountain located at the park between the Plant Investment Company (PICO) office and the South Florida Railroad station, located at 209 North Oak Avenue in Sanford, Florida. This photograph was taken during the Freeze of 1898.
The Bell Hotel was located on Woodruff Block at East First Street and North Park Avenue in Sanford, Florida. Built in 1895, the hotel was known for Joe's Smokehouse and Silas Biggers' peanut wagon which sat out front. The Bell Café was owned by a Greek immigrant, Manuel Dandelake. The building was also popular for its billiard parlor and cigar shop. The structure was demolished in October 1964 and replaced by a parking lot.
Original 7 x 5 inch black and white photograph: Vincent Collection, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
The W. J. Hill Store in Sanford, Florida. Although the earliest type of stereoscope dates back to 1838, this stereoscope card is from a Holmes-style stereoscope invented by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841-1935) in 1861. The two separate images are printed side-by-side. When viewed with a stereoscopic viewer, the images appear to create one three dimensional image. Items in the foreground appear closer, items in the background appear farther away, and the overall image is also magnified. Published by J. G. Mangold of Palatka, Florida. This stereoscope boasts, "Always on hand a good assortment of Florida Stereoscopic and large views of Residences, Groups, Picnics, Excursions, etc."
Original 7 x 3.5 inch black and white photograph: Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
On January 10, 1880, the City of Sanford broke ground for the construction of the South Florida Railroad station on Oak Avenue in Sanford, Florida. President Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885) famously participated in the groundbreaking ceremony. Originally only a 10-mile track between Sanford and Longwood, the line expanded to Orlando within the first six months of its operation. By 1883, Henry B. Plant (1819-1899) had purchased three-fifths of the South Florida Railroad Company and made it part of his Plant System and the Plant Investment Company (PICO). Shortly thereafter, in the winter of 1894-1895, a freeze hit Central Florida, destroying the entire citrus crop. This brought an end to what had been Sanford’s thriving citrus industry prompting the development of its vegetable industry. By the 1900s, Sanford was one of the largest vegetable shipping centers in the United States gaining the nickname of "The Celery City" for its most successful crop. Upon Plant's death in 1902, his widow sold his railroad system to the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL). The arrival of the ACL in Sanford brought many new railroad workers as the city grew into a hub for shipping produce to surrounding areas. Rand Yard, ACL’s freight yard, housed a car shop, engine servicing facility, small locomotive shop, and the state's largest railroad ice plant. In the early 1900s, Lake Jesup farmers demanded that the ACL build a line for them to ship their produce into town, but the railroad company refused. In response, the largest growers chartered the Sanford and Everglades Railroad with Sydney Octavius Chase (1860-1941) as the president. The new line was completed as an ACL branch at Lake Charm. The ACL purchased the new line in 1913 when the Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL) showed interest in buying it. The branch became the most profitable in the ACL system. By the mid-1900s, the amount of good farmland was shrinking in Sanford due to development, driving farmers further south to farms with more acreage. This, coupled with the establishment of a U.S. Naval Air Station in the town, turned the city's focus from agriculture to the military. In 1967, the ACL merged with the Seaboard Coast Line (SCL) Railroad and later was acquired by CSX. Today, the railroad station originally built by the ACL is no longer in use.
Northwest Rooftop View of the Hester-Shephard Block
A rooftop view of the Hester-Shephard block, located at 109 South Palmetto Avenue in Sanford, Florida. The block was named after M. K. Hester and Samuel W. Shepard. The three-story building was constructed after the September 1887 fire. From 1890 to 1974, the building housed the city's first fire station. The building also housed Sanford City Hall, the police station, and the jail. In 1923, Seminole County's only legal hanging occurred behind the building. In 1928, the top floor was condemned and removed. From the 1970s to the 1990s, Sanford Dry Cleaners was located there, until it was renovated as a private residence.
Henry Shelton Sanford and Family at Belair Grove
Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) and family at Belair Grove in Sanford, Florida. In 1870, Sanford purchased 12,547.15 square acres of land known as the Sanford Grant. Sanford was an American diplomat, lawyer, and businessman. Born in Derby, Connecticut, Sanford eventually joined the United States Diplomatic Corps in 1849. During his initial tenure in the Diplomatic Corps, Sanford served as Secretary of the American Legation at Paris. In 1853, he was promoted to the position of Chargé D'Affaires in France. In 1861, President Lincoln named Sanford as the U.S. Minister to Belgium. During the Civil War, Sanford served as a fiscal agent for the U.S. Government and supervised the U.S. Secret Service in Europe. After his tenure as Minister to Belgium, Sanford played a role in the establishment of the Congo Free State, a vast colony in Equatorial Africa under the direct control of the Belgian King Leopold II. In particular, it was Sanford who lobbied U.S. President Chester A. Arthur to recognize King Leopold's colony, a move that sparked broader international recognition of the Congo Free State. He also served as a delegate for the American Geographical Society at the International African Association Congress established by Leopold II and held in Brussels in 1887. Sanford organized the "Sanford Exploring Expedition," an expedition that served to answer scientific and commercial inquiries in the Congo. Aside from his diplomatic career, Sanford was also a businessman and investor. He made several real estate investments in Florida in the late 1860s and early 1870s, the most notable being the purchase of the "Sanford Grant" in May 1870. The grant encompassed over 20 square miles and provided the basis for the town that eventually bore Sanford's name. Sanford was convinced that Florida would prove a profitable place to invest. Anticipating significant traffic and commerce by waterway, Sanford bought a land grant positioned on Lake Monroe along the St. Johns River. The city of Sanford thus became deemed the "Gate City of South Florida" - the southernmost stop along the river. During the 1870s, Sanford invested significant amounts of money to the development of his city - he built a wharf, several hotels, a general store, and a sawmill - all of which he hoped would spur investment and growth in the city. Sanford also developed several experimental citrus groves in his Florida city. The first was St. Gertrude's Grove. The second and more successful grove was Belair, developed in the early 1870s. Though Sanford never lived in Florida, he did visit occasionally from the late 1860s until his death in 1891. His diplomatic and business duties kept him preoccupied abroad, and most of his development in Florida was undertaken by representatives and confidants. Following the "Great Freeze" of 1888, Sanford's Belair grove was destroyed. Sanford was committed to rebuilding the grove and, in the late stages of his life, he committed his energies to his Florida investments. He died several years later though, and his wife Gertrude, in an effort to settle debts owed in Europe and elsewhere following his death, sold many of Sanford's properties in Florida.
Original 8 x 5.25 inch black and white photograph: Henry S. Sanford Collection, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Horse Riding Contest Down Commercial Street
A cowboy racing on horseback along Commercial Street in Sanford, Florida. At the time that Sanford was founded, a substantial cattle industry thrived in the countryside near the new city. Cattle grazed on the prairies along the St. Johns River. Cowboys, also called cowmen, were employed by local ranchers, such as the Cameron and Beck families, to perform their cowboy skills at special events held in Sanford.
Fountain at the Intersection of East First Street and North Park Avenue
The fountain at intersection of North Park Avenue and East First Street Sanford, Florida, in 1900. The fountain used free-flowing artesian wells under the city. The Lyman Bank, pictured on the right, was the first brick building in Sanford. Located at 101 West First Street, the building was originally constructed in 1883. In 1887, the bank changed hands and became the First National Bank No. 1. Building renovations, undertaken during the same year, included adding a marble facade, moving the front entrance to the corner of the building, and placing a clock at the front of the building. The town clock is currently located in Magnolia Square. First National Bank No. 1 is the oldest brick building in Sanford's downtown commercial district. The organizational meetings to create Rollins College were held in this building in 1885.
Original 10 x 6 inch black and white photograph: Vincent Collection, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
East First Street and North Park Avenue, Sanford, Florida
Corner of East First Street and North Palmetto Avenue
The corner of East First Street and North Palmetto Avenue in Sanford, Florida. Although the earliest type of stereoscope dates back to 1838, this stereoscope card is from a Holmes-style stereoscope invented by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841-1935) in 1861. The two separate images are printed side-by-side. When viewed with a stereoscopic viewer, the images appear to create one three dimensional image. Items in the foreground appear closer, items in the background appear farther away, and the overall image is also magnified. Published by J. G. Mangold of Palatka, Florida. This stereoscope boasts, "Always on hand a good assortment of Florida Stereoscopic and large views of Residences, Groups, Picnics, Excursions, etc."
Original 7 x 3.5 inch black and white photograph:Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
East First Street and North Palmetto Avenue, Sanford, Florida
Donald Houston at Belair Grove in Sanforrd (present-day Lake Mary), Florida, around 1891. In 1870, Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) purchased 12,547.15 square acres of land known as the Sanford Grant. Sanford established an experiment station on a portion of the land, located three miles southwest of the city of Sanford. This is an image of Donald Houston, who acted as Sanford's superintendent and grove manager for Belair. Belair Grove extended across 145 acres; 95 of the acres produced orange growth representing a wide range of orange species known to Florida and 50 acres were lemon trees. In Belair alone, Sanford introduced over 140 varieties of citrus plants and worked to determine if Florida citrus growers could introduce new varieties into the growing citrus market. Sanford also grew exotic plants acquired from Central and South America, many of which survived the 1886 freeze. Sanford mainly used Belair as his own experiment station, but ultimately the findings and reports would be used by other citrus growers throughout Florida. After Sanford's death in 1891, Houston continued to correspond with Gertrude Dupuy Sanford, Sanford's widow, about the state of the groves. The 1894-1895 freezes destroyed most of the citrus crop, leaving frozen oranges covering the grounds because the weakened branches could not support the heavy frozen fruit. Following the great freeze of 1894-1895, Gertrude sold Belair to John Sanford, who in turn sold it to Sydney Octavius Chase (1860-1941) in 1902. Chase & Company did not grow citrus crops again until 1904, when Chase's brother and business partner, Joshua Coffin Chase (1858-1948), came back from an extended stay in California.
Original 2 x 1 inch black and white photograph: Henry S. Sanford Collection, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
DeBary-Baya Merchant Line Dock at Sanford Stereoscope
Sanford's Riverfront looking north during late 19th century, with a steamship pictured in the background. By the mid-1880s, Sanford had become a major distribution center due to the city's strategic location along Lake Monroe and the St. Johns River. Even before Florida obtained statehood, steamboats frequented the St. Johns River carrying U.S. Army soldiers to Fort Mellon, located on the shores of Lake Monroe, to defend the area against Native Americans during the Seminole Wars. Steamboats were used at the fort and during the Battle of Camp Monroe to relocate Seminoles, explore the St. Johns River, and to distribute military forces. During the second half of the 1830s, steamboats were used to tow barges from the river to Lake Monroe in order to stimulate trade. The first commercial steamboat was developed as the Brock Line in the early 1850s. As trade grew, various wharves and docks were built in locations such as Mellonville Avenue, Palmetto Avenue, Oak Street, and Sanford Avenue. The Debary-Baya Merchant Line began transporting passengers in 1883, which further developed the steamboat industry. The line was purchased by the Clyde Line in 1886 and remained open until 1933. The growth of railroads was the primary cause of the decline of the steamboat industry.
Original 7 x 4.25 inch black and white photograph: Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
A railroad station in the Plant System in 1872. The Lake Monroe and Orlando Railroad was organized in 1875. The charter planned to construct a railroad from the St. Johns River port in Sanford south to Orlando. On October 16, 1878, the South Florida Railroad was incorporated, but did not receive a charter until December 9, 1879, when it gained control over the Lake Monroe and Orlando Railroad charter. The first train on the new railroad ran between Sanford and Orlando on November 11, 1880. Henry B. Plant (1819-1889) and his Plant System purchased three-fifths of the South Florida Railroad stock on May 4, 1883. Plant standardized the track sizes, stations, and equipment of the existing railroads and began laying tracks towards Tampa, whose railroad station opened on December 10, 1883. In 1893, the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway, which was also a part of the Plant System, acquired the South Florida Railroad. The Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) Railroad Company acquired the entire Plant System in 1902. In 1967, the ACL merged with the Seaboard Coast Line (SCL) Railroad, which is now operated by CSX. By the mid-1880s, Sanford, Florida had become a major distribution center due to the city's strategic location along Lake Monroe and the St. Johns River.
Original 8.5 inch x 5.25 inch black and white photograph by the Ensminger Brothers, 1892: Vincent Collection, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Plant System Hospital No. 1 in 1872. The Lake Monroe and Orlando Railroad was organized in 1875. The charter planned to construct a railroad from the St. Johns River port in Sanford south to Orlando. On October 16, 1878, the South Florida Railroad was incorporated, but did not receive a charter until December 9, 1879, when it gained control over the Lake Monroe and Orlando Railroad charter. The first train on the new railroad ran between Sanford and Orlando on November 11, 1880. Henry B. Plant (1819-1889) and his Plant System purchased three-fifths of the South Florida Railroad stock on May 4, 1883. Plant standardized the track sizes, stations, and equipment of the existing railroads and began laying tracks towards Tampa, whose railroad station opened on December 10, 1883. In 1893, the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway, which was also a part of the Plant System, acquired the South Florida Railroad. The Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) Railroad Company acquired the entire Plant System in 1902. In 1967, the ACL merged with the Seaboard Coast Line (SCL) Railroad, which is now operated by CSX. By the mid-1880s, Sanford, Florida had become a major distribution center due to the city's strategic location along Lake Monroe and the St. Johns River. The other major hub for the Plant System of railways was located in Waycross, Georgia. Both towns benefited from the building of a Plant System Hospital that served Plant’s employees and the community. The Plant System Hospital #1 was Sanford’s first hospital. It was later moved to Waycross.
A magazine article about the Western Union Telegraph Company office located at 201 East First Street in Sanford, Florida, in 1926. According to the article, the telegraph business in Sanford was developing rapidly. The office's manager, L. Tharp, explained that in 1924, the local office only employed two day clerks, one day operator, one night operator, four messenger boys, and a manager. In 1926, when the article was published, the office employed three day operators, one night operator, four day clerks, one cashier, two night clerks, twelve messenger boys, one manager, and one linesman. The article also states that 36 lines lead out of Sanford, with half going to Tampa and half going to Jacksonville. The Western Union Company was originally organized in 1851 under the name the New York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company. In 1855, the company merged with the New York & Western Union Telegraph Company. Western Union grew rapidly, opening its first transcontinental telegraph in 1861. The first stock ticker was introduced in 1866 and standardized time service became available in 1870. In 1871, the company began its money transfer service. Although Western Union initially tried to participate in telephone services, it ultimately abandoned telephone communications when it lost a patent lawsuit with the Bell Telephone Company in 1879. Nonetheless, Western Union continued to develop new services for their customers, including the first charge card for consumers in 1914, teletypewriters in 1923, singing telegrams in 1933, intercity faxes in 1935, commercial intercity microwave communications in 1943, Telex services for customers in New York City in 1958, and Candygrams in the 1960s.
Original newspaper article: "Western Union: A Hive of Service." This Week in Sanford, Vol. 02, No. 04, August 9, 1926. Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Western Union Telegraph Company, Sanford, Florida
A newspaper article about W. A. Patrick, president of the Seminole Tire Shop in Sanford, Florida. Patrick migrated to Sanford on March 10, 192,7 and established a tire repair business that also distributed Firestone and Crosley products. By 1932, his business was recognized as the "leading and most progressive of its kind" in Sanford, according to the article. At the time that the article was written, Patrick resided at 1513 Palmetto Avenue with his wife, Agnes Bartlett Patrick. W. A. Patrick was also a member of the Masons, the Elks Lodges, and the Christian Church. His store, the Seminole Tire Shop, erected one of the largest one-stop service stations in the city, which was located at the first Sanford State Farmers' Market that opened in 1934. The Seminole Tire Shop was incorporated in 1932 but is no longer active.
Original newspaper article: "Seminole Tire Shop ." The Sanford Herald: Who's Who of 1933, Vol. 24, No. 157, April 29, 1933. Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Vendors at the First Sanford State Farmers' Market
A table representing the vendors to rent stalls at the First Sanford State Farmers' State Market, where they were located, the number of stalls rented, and miscellaneous information. Vendors included B. E. Akin of Winston-Salem, North Carolina; the Sanford-Oviedo Truck Growers, Inc., a cooperative growing and shipping organization; the Brown Brothers; E. J. Cameron; B. R. Carroll; Chase and Company, a packer and shipper of citrus, celery, and other vegetables, as well as a manufacturer of crates, fertilizers, and insecticides; C. I. & M. Dingfelder, Abe Godsey; E. C. Harnage, a former officer of the Atlantic Coast Line Railway Company; W. E. Hathaway; Langford and Son; M. Moses, a grower and shipper of celery; A. B. Stevens, a producer of milk; Peter Thurston, a vegetable grower; William N. William, a dealer of tomatoes, avocados, limes, cucumbers, and peppers; Fred Zerrener; W. H. Britt; B. A. Howard, an executive committee member of the Florida Vegetable Growers' Association board; Stokes Seed Company, a packer and shipper of celery; H. C. Whelchel; W. B. Williams; and Ed Bullion, grower of limes, avocadoes, and vegetables. Bullion's broker, Edward Williams, was credited with the first official sale at the new farmers' market. H. J. Clause, broker for both the Sanford-Oviedo Truck Growers and for Peter Thurston, was credited with the second official sale. The idea for the Sanford State Farmers' Market was devised by Fred Dorner and Gus Schmach, both members of the Seminole Agricultural Club. The Sanford Chamber of Commerce president Harry Papworth also contributed to the development of the market. The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) authorized construction plans on June 11, 1934. On June 20, 1934, the City of Sanford donated a portion of the Alex V. French properties to the Florida State Marketing Board, which selected the northwest corner of French Avenue and Thirteenth Street. The board approved the installation of telegraph and telephone equipment, as well as a three-pump filling station. The Sanford State Farmer's Market opened on December 18, 1934. By 1939, the Farmers' Market was bringing a total volume of business of $627,065.81. In 1941, business volume reached over $700,000. On April 4, 1957, a fire destroyed the building and caused damages estimated at $2.5 million. Reconstruction began almost immediately and the Farmers' Market was expected to re-open by the fall of 1957. In 1991, plans were created to restore, preserve, and convert the citrus packing house into a museum.
Original dataset by Laura Cepero, August 3, 2011.
Sanford State Farmers' Market, Sanford, Florida
Sanford-Oviedo Truck Growers, Inc., Sanford, Florida
Former Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company Office
Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company
The former office of the Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company on 101 East First Street in Sanford, Florida as early as 1915. As of 2011, the building was being occupied by Betty Anne's Hair Styling. Southern Bell was originally part of the Bell Telephone Company, founded on July 9, 1877 in Boston, Massachusetts. Southern Bell, formerly called the Atlanta Telephonic Exchange, became a separate entity on December 20, 1879, in Atlanta, Georgia. The company was established to serve Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, parts of West Virginia, Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. In 1917, operations for West Virginia were taken over by the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company of West Virginia. On December 20, 1967, Southern Bell formed South Central Bell Telephone to operate in Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Although originally incorporated in New York, Southern Bell was reincorporated in Georgia as SBT & T Company in 1983. As of 2013, the company operates as BellSouth Telecommunications and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
Original color digital image by Laura Cepero, July 24, 2011.
Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company, Sanford, Florida
Betty Anne's Hair Styling, Sanford, Florida
Two men loading crates of celery either onto rail car. The celery was shipped by M. Moses, who also leased two stalls at the first Sanford State Farmers' Market, on February 16, 1926, from Sanford, Florida. A. H. Moses & Son sold the celery upon the shipment arrival in New York City on February 24. The man pictured in the dark suit is likely one of the Moses brothers.
Original framed black and white photograph: "Celery Shipment Loaded on Railcar." 1926. Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
A newspaper advertisement for the Seminole Tire Shop in Sanford, Florida. The store erected one of the largest one-stop service stations in the city, which was located at the first Sanford State Farmers' Market that opened in 1934. According to this ad, the shop was located at the corner of West First Street and South Elm Avenue, though earlier sources from the 1920s suggest that the store was once located at 201 North Park Avenue. The Seminole Tire Shop was incorporated in 1932 but is no longer active. .
Original newspaper article: "Seminole Tire Shop." The Sanford Herald: Who's Who of 1933, Vol. 24, No. 157, April 29, 1933. Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Sanford-Oviedo Truck Growers, Inc. Advertisement
An advertisement for the Sanford-Oviedo Truck Growers, Inc., which was amongst the first to lease stalls at the first Sanford State Farmers' Market when it opened in 1934. Sanford-Oviedo Truck Growers was founded in 1913 as a cooperative growing and shipping organization originally consisting of 14 growers in Sanford and Oviedo, Florida. At the time that the ad was published, T. F. Adams served as president, J. C. Hutchinson served as general sales manager, and Robert A. Cobb served as secretary-treasurer. The offices were located in the building of the First National Bank No. 2, located at 101 East First Street in Sanford. The office of Sanford-Oviedo Truck Growers occupied offices 510-514 on the fifth floor in from as early as 1926 to as late as 1930.
Original newspaper article: "Sanford-Oviedo Truck Growers, Inc." Sanford Today, Vol. 01, No. 12, October 2, 1926: Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Sanford-Oviedo Truck Growers Formed in 1913
A newspaper article on the history of the Sanford-Oviedo Truck Growers, Inc. Sanford-Oviedo Truck Growers was founded in 1913 as a cooperative growing and shipping organization originally consisting of fourteen growers in Sanford and Oviedo, Florida. The company was also one of the first vendors to lease stalls at the first Sanford State Farmers' Market when it first opened in 1934. At the time that the article was written, the Sanford-Oviedo Truck Growers was packing and shipping vegetables from more than 400 acres of land in the St. Johns River Valley under the management of William E. Vihlen. The company distributed mostly celery, with 80 percent being Pascal, but other vegetables shipped included cabbage, escarole, and peppers. The company's washhouse and packing plant located near the west side of Rand's Siding was managed by C. F. Reese and received additional wash chain equipment costing $4,000 in 1954. According to the article, Joe B. Shaw was the field manager and Lewis James was his assistant. The article also includes two snippets about a 4-H club livestock show in Jacksonville and the watermelon harvest for Levy County in 1952.
Original black and white newspaper article: "Sanford-Oviedo Truck Growers Formed in 1913." February 25, 1952: Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
A newspaper article about Robert A. Cobb in 1933. Cobb was born in Live Oak, Florida, but migrated to Sanford with his parents in January of 1910. He attended Sanford High School (present-day Seminole High School), and studied business at Southern College in Lakeland. Cobb also served as a United States Marine in the Fifth Regiment in the Second Division for a year during World War I. After returning from service, Cobb became the secretary-treasurer of the Sanford-Oviedo Truck Growers, Inc., which was founded in 1913 as a cooperative growing and shipping organization originally consisting of 14 growers in Sanford and Oviedo. His company was also one of the first vendors to lease stalls at the first Sanford State Farmers' Market when it first opened in 1934. He and his wife, Izetta Stone, resided at 313 West Fifteenth Street in Sanford with their children, Thomas A. Cobb and Frances Mae Cobb. Cobb was also a member of the Presbyterian Church, the American Legion, the Lions Club the Masons, and the Odd Fellows.
Original newspaper article: "R. A. Cobb." The Sanford Herald: Who's Who of 1933, Vol. 24, No. 157, April 29, 1933. Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
The Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company's new dialing exchange in Sanford, Florida, in the late 1950s. Southern Bell was originally part of the Bell Telephone Company, founded on July 9, 1877, in Boston, Massachusetts. Southern Bell, formerly called the Atlanta Telephonic Exchange, became a separate entity on December 20, 1879 in Atlanta, Georgia. The company was established to serve Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, parts of West Virginia, Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. In 1917, operations for West Virginia were taken over by the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company of West Virginia. On December 20, 1967, Southern Bell formed South Central Bell Telephone to operate in Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Although originally incorporated in New York, Southern Bell was reincorporated in Georgia as SBT&T Company in 1983. As of 2013, the company was absorbed into BellSouth Telecommunications and is headquartered in Atlanta.
Original black and white photograph: Greater Sanford Regional Chamber of Commerce, Sanford, Florida.
Greater Sanford Regional Chamber of Commerce
A newspaper article about J. C. Hutchinson, sales manager of Sanford-Oviedo Truck Growers Association, Inc., which was founded in 1913 as a cooperative growing and shipping organization originally consisting of fourteen growers in Sanford and Oviedo, Florida. His company was also one of the first vendors to lease stalls at the first Sanford State Farmers' Market when it first opened in 1934. A school teacher in Sanford from 1915 to 1917, Hutchinson also served as major of the headquarters company in the 124th Infantry of the Florida National Guard and as captain of Company "D." At the time the article was published, he resided in Indian mound Village with his wife Annie Whitner and their two daughters, Elise and Helen.
Original newspaper article: "J. C. Hutchinson." The Sanford Herald: Who's Who of 1933, Vol. 24, No. 157, April 29, 1933. Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company--Employees
A newspaper article about Howard Overlin, the manager of the Sanford, Oviedo, and Geneva division of the Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company in 1933. Overlin was born and raised in Evansville, Indiana. In 1911, he began his telecommunications career by working for the Indiana Bell Telephone Company, until he was transferred to the Illinois Bell Telephone Company in 1914. In 1918, Overlin migrated to Jacksonville, Florida, to manage the Southern Bell Telephone Company's lines in Camp Johnson during World War I. Once the war ended, he transferred to Sanford and resided at 113 West 19th Street with his wife, Maude Growe Overlin. In addition to his business career, Overlin was also president of the Sanford Kiwanis Club, secretary of the Sanford Elks Club, president of the Seminole County Safety Council, a member of the Seminole County Chamber of Commerce, and a congregant of the First Christian Church.
Original newspaper article: "Howard Overlin." The Sanford Herald: Who's Who of 1933, Vol. 24, No. 157, April 29, 1933. Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
A newspaper advertisement about the estimated amount of 400 carloads of celery that will be shipped out of Sanford in 1917 by Stokes Seed Company, which was also one of the first vendors to lease a stall at the first Sanford State Farmers' Market when it first opened in 1934. The celery consisted mostly of Golden Self-Blanching Celery, but also included New Easy Blanching Celery. The origins of Sanford's connection to celery farming began on December 26, 1894, when a freeze damaged the area's citrus groves. The city began to recover during a warm and wet January which promoted new shoots, but a second freeze hit on February 7, 1895, practically wiping them out. The 24-degree temperature was the coldest known in Florida to that point. The freeze was so intense that the sap froze inside the trunks, many of which split open, sounding like gunshots, and crashed to the ground. The population quickly dropped from 5000 to 2000 as the groves were abandoned. I. H. Terwilliger stayed after the freezes and is believed to have planted the first celery grown in Sanford in 1896. J. N. Whitner and B. F. Whitner, Sr. planted three-fourts of an acre in 1897 with celery imported from Kalamazoo, Michigan. By 1898, celery became the crop synonymous to Sanford, also known as "Celery City."
Original newspaper advertisement: Market Growers Journal: The Market Gardener's Trade Paper, Volume 20.
A newspaper advertisement for the Seminole Tire Shop in Sanford, Florida. The store erected one of the largest one-stop service stations in the city, which was located at the first Sanford State Farmers' Market. This ad, likely published in the 1920s, lists 201 North Park Avenue as the tire shop's address, although advertisements published in 1933 suggest that the company moved to the corner of West First Street and South Elm Avenue. The company was incorporated in 1932 but is no longer active.
Original newspaper advertisement: Agricultural Collection, Celery Collection, Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
Corporate Farming: How Chase & Company Has Grown Into a Dominant Force in Florida Agri-Business
A pamphlet about the history and structure of Chase & Company. One of the first vendors to lease a stall at the first Sanford State Farmers' Market, Chase & Company was established by brothers Sydney Octavius Chase and Joshua Coffin Chase in 1884. The company sold insurance and later invested in storage facilities and fertilizer sales. Chase & Company was known mainly for its agricultural interests and maintained a series of citrus groves throughout Central Florida. The company was based out of Sanford and became one of the city's largest employers into the early twentieth century. By 1886, the Chase brothers purchased several citrus groves to expand their business, including Isleworth Grove in Windermere, Florida. Isleworth Grove covered a total of 1,300 acres along the Butler Chain of Lakes. Between 1894 and 1895, Central Florida was hit by several freezes and most of the citrus crop was destroyed. Chase & Company did not grow citrus crops again until 1904 when Joshua came back from an extended stay in California. Between 1894 and 1900, different types of pesticide equipment was created, including equipment driven by steam, machines, and horses.Randall Chase joined in the family business soon after his brother, Sydney Chase, Jr., did in 1922. Randall became the president of Chase & Company from 1948-1965. The Isleworth property stayed in the Chase family until 1984 when Franklin Chase, the son of Sydney Chase, sold the property to famed golfer Arnold Palmer.
Original pamphlet: "Corporate Farming: How Chase & Company Has Grown Into a Dominant Force in Florida Agri-Business": Agricultural Collection, Celery Collection, Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
The former location of the Chase & Company office, located at 110 West First Street in Sanford, Florida, in 2011. The building served as Chase & Co.'s office since 1887 and its office for fire insurance beginning in 1917. The building is currently occupied by the University of Central Florida's Business Incubator office. Chase & Company was also one of the first vendors to lease a stall at the first Sanford State Farmers' Market when it opened in 1934. Chase & Company was established in 1884 by brothers Sydney Octavius Chase and Joshua Coffin Chase. The company sold insurance and later invested in storage facilities and fertilizer sales. Chase & Company was known mainly for its agricultural interests and maintained a series of citrus groves throughout Central Florida. The company was based out of Sanford and became one of the city's largest employers into the early twentieth century. Randall Chase joined in the family business soon after his brother, Sydney Chase, Jr., did in 1922. Randall became the president of Chase & Company from 1948-1965.
Chase & Company Office, Sanford, Florida
UCF Business Incubator, Sanford, Florida
Chase & Company: Packers and Distributors of Florida Fruits and Vegetables Exclusively
A newspaper advertisement for Chase & Company, the largest and oldest distribution agency in Florida and one of the first vendors to lease a stall at the first Sanford State Farmers' Market when it opened in 1934. The article states that the company conducts business in most shipping districts in Florida and ships to markets across the United States and Canada. Chase & Co.'s main office was located in Jacksonville at the time that the article was published in 1910. There were also offices in Cincinnati, Chicago, New York, St. Louis, Minneapolis, and Washington, D.C. In addition to citrus packing and processing, Chase & Company also did business in insurance. Chase & Company was established in 1884 by brothers Sydney Octavius Chase and Joshua Coffin Chase. The company sold insurance and later invested in storage facilities and fertilizer sales. Chase & Company was known mainly for its agricultural interests and maintained a series of citrus groves throughout Central Florida. The company was based out of Sanford and became one of the city's largest employers into the early twentieth century. Randall Chase joined in the family business soon after his brother, Sydney Chase, Jr., did in 1922. Randall became the president of Chase & Company from 1948-1965.
Original newspaper article: "Chase & Company: Packers and Distributors of Florida Fruits and Vegetables Exclusively." The Sanford Chronicle, Industrial Edition, Winter 1910. Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Chase & Company Office, Jacksonville, Florida
An advertisement for Chase & Company from Sanford High School's Salmagundi yearbook for the 1920-1921. One of the first vendors to lease a stall at the first Sanford State Farmers' Market, Chase & Company was established in 1884 by brothers Sydney Octavius Chase and Joshua Coffin Chase. The company sold insurance and later invested in storage facilities and fertilizer sales. Chase & Company was known mainly for its agricultural interests and maintained a series of citrus groves throughout Central Florida. The company was based out of Sanford and became one of the city's largest employers into the early twentieth century. Randall Chase joined in the family business soon after his brother, Sydney Chase, Jr., did in 1922. Randall became the president of Chase & Company from 1948-1965.
Original yearbook advertisement: Salmagundi, 1921: Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Sanford High School
A Chase & Company packing house in Sanford, Florida, 1891. One of the first vendors to lease a stall at the first Sanford State Farmers' Market, Chase & Company was established in 1884 by brothers Sydney Octavius Chase and Joshua Coffin Chase. The company sold insurance and later invested in storage facilities and fertilizer sales. Chase & Company was known mainly for its agricultural interests and maintained a series of citrus groves throughout Central Florida. The company was based out of Sanford and became one of the city's largest employers into the early twentieth century. Randall Chase joined in the family business soon after his brother, Sydney Chase, Jr., did in 1922. Randall became the president of Chase & Company from 1948-1965
Original black and white photograph, 1891: Greater Sanford Regional Chamber of Commerce, Sanford, Florida.
A newspaper article about the building permits awarded in Sanford, Florida, in 1926. By November of that year, the annual building total was about $80,000 short of the figure for 1925, which was a record year for construction in Sanford. The first 10 months of 1926 showed a sum of $1,602,689, whereas as the sum for the first 10 months of 1925 was $1,393,607. Fifty building permits were issued for the month of November in 1926, with over four-fifths designated for improvements, costing an estimated $2,000 or less. There were several large permits issued for the construction of: the Colonial Company's warehouse, which would cost $15,000; the Sanford-Oviedo Truck Growers' warehouse, costing $6,500; and 38 small swellings in Lockhart's First and Second Subdivisions, expected to cost $22,800. The Sanford-Oviedo Truck Growers was also one of the first vendors to lease a stall at the first Sanford State Farmers' Market when it first opened in 1934.
Original newspaper article: "Building Comparisons." Sanford Today, Vol. 01, No. 20, November 27, 1926. Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
A newspaper article about A. J. Peterson, a local agent for the Seaboard Oil Company and a partner in the Seminole Tire Shop in Sanford, Florida. The store was originally located at 201 North Park Avenue until it moved to the corner of West First Street and South Elm Avenue by 1933 at the latest, although the exact date of relocation is unknown. A former manufacturer from Chicago, Illinois, Peterson arrived in Sanford in 1927. He also assisted in building one of the largest one-stop service stations in Sanford, which was located at the Sanford State Farmers' Market. When the article was published in 1933, Peterson resided at Monroe Corner with his wife, Sara Deason. He also enjoyed baseball, congregated with the First Baptist Church of Sanford, and was a member of the Masonic Order.
Original newspaper article: "A. J. Peterson." The Sanford Herald: Who's Who of 1933, Vol. 24, No. 157, April 29, 1933: Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Veterans Memorial Park, located at 110 East Seminole Boulevard in Sanford, Florida, in 2011. The park was built in 1925 and included a bandshell. A flagpole and fountain were dedicated in memory of World War I veterans in 1927. The park was renamed Veterans Memorial Park in 1973 when it was rededicated to the memory of veterans of all American wars.
Original color digital image by Laura Cepero, June 4, 2011.
RICHES of Central Florida
Veterans Memorial Park, Sanford, Florida
Leather industry and trade--United States
A newspaper articleon the tobacco and leather industries in Florida. The article was written by C. D. Leffler, President of the Young Men's Business League, and published by Manufacturers Record: A Weekly Southern Industrial Railroad and Financial Newspaper. According to the article, Florida had "become a great cigar and tobacco centre, especially for [C]lear Havana goods," a cigar brand. The cigar industry was first brought to Florida by Cuban immigrants in the 1830s and became one of the most important industries in the Southeast by the last quarter of the 19th century, with Tampa serving as the cigar manufacturing center in the state. In the late 1800s, cigar factories began to appear in various other Florida cities, such as Jacksonville and Tallahassee. Cigar manufacturing first appeared in Sanford sometime between 1909 and 1912. The Florida cigar industry came to its peak in the first quarter of the 20th century, but then declined during the Great Depression and World War II, due to the accumulation of labor union conflicts over the years, the mechanization of production, and changing consumer demands. The industry was revitalized during the 1950s as production soared, despite the decline of the number of workers. Following the Cuban Revolution of the late 1950s and the U.S. embargo on Cuban products in 1962, the Florida cigar industry again declined. The Cuban embargo included tobacco, thus forcing American cigar rollers to begin using Dominican tobacco. The article also discusses prospects for the leather industry in Florida, which had a virtually unlimited supply of palmetto, a root plant commonly used in the tanning process. Lastly, Leffler briefly cites the starch, tapioca, and artesian water industries.
Photocopy of original newspaper article by C. D. Leffler: "Tobacco and Leather." Manufacturers Record: A Weekly Southern Industrial Railroad and Financial Newspaper, July 19, 1895, page 384: Cigar Making Collection, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Manufacturers Record: A Weekly Southern Industrial Railroad and Financial Newspaper
Lucien R. Philips & Company Advertisement
An advertisement for Lucien R. Philips' Rexall drugstore in 1910. The ad was published in the Industrial Edition of Sanford Chronicle, a newspaper published by The Sanford Herald. This drugstore was originally established by Lucien R. Philips' brother, A. E. Philips, at the corner of East First Street and North Park Avenue in Downtown Sanford, Florida. By 1892, A. E. Philips was the only druggist in Sanford, but in 1894, he handed over ownership of the drugstore to Lucien. The pharmacy did not strictly sell drugs, but instead sold many types of items, including stationery, Kodak supplies, ice cream, soda water, candy, cigars, and tobacco.
Digital reproduction of original newspaper article, 1910: "L. R. Philips & Company." Sanford Chronicle, Industrial Edition, Winter 1910, page 53: DP0008192. Central Florida Memory. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/CFM/id/120265.
Lucien R. Philips & Company, Downtown Sanford, Florida
An advertisement for Lucien R. Philips' Rexalldrug store in 1917. The ad was published in Sanford High School's yearbook, Salmagundi. This drugstore was originally established by Lucien R. Philips' brother, A. E. Philips, at the corner of East First Street and North Park Avenue in Downtown Sanford, Florida. By 1892, A. E. Philips was the only druggist in Sanford, but in 1894, he handed over ownership of the drugstore to Lucien. The pharmacy did not strictly sell drugs, but instead sold many types of items, including stationery, Kodak supplies, ice cream, soda water, candy, cigars, and tobacco.
Digital reproduction of original yearbook advertisement, 1917: Salmagundi, 1917. Sanford High School, Sanford, Florida, page 69: tag number DP0010405, Central Florida Memory, http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/CFM/id/120698.
L. R. Philips & Company, Downtown Sanford, Florida
Advertisement for A. E. Philips' drug store, which was established at the corner of East First Street and North Park Avenue in Sanford, Florida, in 1884. By 1892, Philips was the only druggist in Sanford, but in 1894, he handed over ownership of the drugstore to his brother, Lucien R. Philips. The pharmacy did not strictly sell drugs, but instead sold many types of items, including books and paper, toiletries, and cigars and tobacco. A. E. Philips established a new store in Clear Water Harbor, which was described as being on the Orange Belt Railroad. Philips had left during a difficult year, as the entire orange crop was wiped out by one of the worst freezes to hit much of Florida. Besides being a store owner and druggist, A. E. Philips was also a published writer on pharmaceuticals and well-respected within the community. Philips joined the Florida State Pharmaceutical Association in 1887. In 1891, he was in attendance during the fifth annual Florida State Pharmaceutical Association meeting in Jacksonville, where he submitted a paper that won a gold medal from the association. He also addressed the issue of large department stores undercutting the prices of local pharmacies. He proposed resolutions that the association denounce the practice of cutting prices and that the druggists should do whatever they could to keep drugs from being sold in department stores. Philips was also elected to the office of president, presumably of the association.
Digital reproduction of original 60 x 47 centimeter lithograph by Adam Beck and Clemens J. Pauli, 1884: John J. Stoner, Madison, Wisconsin: tag number DP0010700, Central Florida Memory, Orlando, Florida.
A. E. Philips Drug Store, Downtown Sanford, Florida
Oral history of Algerine Miller, interviewed by Autumn Reisz on March 2, 2013, for the UCF Public History Center's History Harvest. In the oral history, Miller discusses how she found out about the History Harvest, the documents and photographs she contributed, and her family's property in Sanford, Florida. Born in Orangeburg County, South Carolina in 1909, Algerine's father Moddie moved to Sanford, where he and his wife, Alberta, purchased the property that the Miller family still owned as of 2013.
Miller, Algerine. Interviewed by Autumn Reisz. UCF Public History Center. March 2, 2013. Video record available. UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
Moddie Miller with Sister and Mother, Carrie Whaley
Algerine Miller's father Moddie Mille,r with his sister and mother, Carrie Whaley. Moddie was born in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, in 1909. He later moved to Sanford and purchased property with his wife Alberta in 1943. They bought lots 1-5 in Block 16 of the Pine Level Subdivision for one hundred dollars from Frank L. and Minnie D. Woodruff. As of 2013, the Miller family still retains the house and property.
Original color photograph: Private Collection of Algerine Miller.
The property deed of the Algerine Miller's family home in Sanford, Florida. The deed shows a purchase date of September 7, 1943. Moddie and Alberta Miller purchased lots 1-5 in Block 16 of the Pine Level Subdivision for one hundred dollars from Frank L. and Minnie D. Woodruff. As of 2013, the Miller family still retains the house and property.
Original warranty deed, September 9, 1943: State of Florida, County of Seminole, Sanford, Florida.
State of Florida
County of Seminole
The birth certificate of Moddie Miller, the father of Algerine Miller. He was born in Orangeburg County, South Carolina on June 17, 1909. His parents are listed as Irvin Miller and Carrie Whaley. The birth certificate incorrectly spells Miller's first name as "Modie." Miller later moved to Sanford, Florida and purchased property in the Pine Level Subdivision with his wife, Alberta Miller.
Reprinted birth certificate by J. E. Gramling, May 5, 1943: State of South Carolina, Orangeburg County, South Carolina.
State of South Carolina
Alberta Miller, the mother of Algerine Miller. Alberta and her husband, Moddie Miller, purchased property in Sanford's Pine Level Subdivision from Frank L. and Minnie D. Woodruff for $100 in 1943. As of 2013, the Miller family still retains the house and property.
Original black and white photograph: Private Collection of Algerine Miller.
View of the former Brumley-Puleston Building, located at 100 East First Street in Sanford, Florida. Doctors L. A. Brumley and Samuel Puleston commissioned famed builder George A. Fuller to construct the building. Construction began in 1922 and completed a year later. On May 5, 1923, Roumillat and Anderson Drug Store opened in the building.
Original color digital image by Austin Smith, December 19, 2010.
View of the former PICO Block from the intersection of North Oak Avenue and West Commercial Street in Sanford, Florida. The building was constructed and opened by the Plant Investment Company (PICO) in 1887 to house the company's local offices. PICO owner Henry Plant owned and operated an extensive railway system throughout Florida. Also known as the Plant System, Plant competed with fellow railroad tycoon Henry Flagler and later extended his lines from Jacksonville through Sanford to Tampa. In the 1920s, the brick exterior of the building was covered with stucco and renamed the Welaka Apartments.
The Henry B. Lord building, located at 112 South Park Avenue in Sanford, Florida. From its completion in 1895 until 1992, the building was occupied by multiple jewelers. Henry B. Lord established Sanford's oldest jewelry store when he opened H. B. Lord Jewelry and Optical in 1879. In the 1930s, Henry McLaulin purchased the business. By 1943, McLaulin sold the jewelry store to W. E. Kader, who remained there until 1992. At the time that this photograph was taken in 2010, the building was housing The Wet Spot, a local drinking establishment.
Former First National Bank No. 2 , located at 101 East First Street in Sanford, Florida. Also known as Sanford's first skyscraper, the building was designed by Mowbray & Uffinger of New York. Construction began in 1922 using steel, limestone, brick, and tile. A major reason why masonry and steel was used in the construction of the building was in response to a fire that occurred in Sanford in 1887. Originating from a bakery in downtown, many of the surrounding buildings were destroyed because they were constructed out of wood. After the fire, commercial buildings were constructed either with bricks or masonry. The First National Bank remained in the building until 1929. The building has served as a home for several banks since 1938.
Original color digital images by Austin Smith, December 19, 2010.
The Hotchkiss Block, located at 213 East First Street in Sanford, Florida, in 2010. The block was named after Frederick Hotchkiss and constructed in the Romanesque Revival style in 1887. The previous brick building erected at this location was destroyed by the Great Fire of 1887.
The DeForest Block, located at 101 East First Street in Sanford, Florida. The building was constructed in 1887 by Henry L. DeForest as a general store. During that same year, Downtown Sanford along First Street was devastated by a fire that started at a bakery. The DeForest Block is one of only a few sets of buildings that survived the fire. In 1917, the Seminole County Bank renovated the block. The building was
View of the First National Bank No. 1, located at 101 West First Street in Sanford, Florida. The building was originally constructed in 1883 by Lyman Bank and had a brick facade. In 1887, the bank switched hands and became the First National Bank. Building renovations took place the same year, which included adding a marble facade, moving the front entrance to the corner of the building, and placing a clock at the front of the building which would become the town clock located in Magnolia Square. First National Bank No. 1 is the oldest brick building in Sanford's downtown commercial district. The organizational meetings to create Rollins College were held in this building in 1885. At the time that this photograph was taken in 2010, the building was being occupied by the Corner Cafe.
View of the Sanford Masonic Lodge #62, located at 212 North Park Avenue in Sanford, Florida. Sanford established its own Masonic Lodge in 1872 and is one of the oldest in Florida. The building was designed by renowned local architect Elton J. Moughton. The total cost of construction was $45,000. The Lodge opened in 1924. At the time that this photograph was taken, the building was serving as the office for two attorneys of law: A. A. McCalahan, Jr. and Charles Hart II.
PICO Hotel, located at 209 North Oak Avenue in Sanford, Florida, was built in 1887 for Henry Bradley Plant, President of the Plant Investment Company (PICO). The onion-shaped dome located on the southwest corner of the roof resembled a Turkish minaret. The dome was destroyed by a severe thunderstorm in the 1950s and was never replaced. The PICO Hotel served as the terminal hotel for a railroad and two steamship lines owned by Henry Plant. President Calvin Coolidge spent the night at the PICO Hotel during his visit to Sanford.
Newspaper article about and portrait of businessman and politician, Forrest Lake around 1910. Forrest Lake first arrived in Sanford, Florida in the 1880s. Lake was known as a local politician and later a member of state government. One of his most well known successes in politics was the passing of the bill that created Seminole County in 1913. Throughout the early- to mid-1920s, Lake owned an icehouse, founded Seminole County Bank, and established the Hotel Forrest Lake. By the end of the Florida real estate boom, Lake suffered many financial loses when the hotel went bankrupt and he was accused of bank fraud. In 1928, Lake went through a series of trials related to the bank fraud scandal and was later sent to state prison for fourteen years. Lake only served six years and lived the rest of his life in Sanford. He died in 1939.
Original newspaper article by Edward Talcot Woodruff: Sanford Chronicle Industrial Edition (Winter 1910): 16.
Sailor walking by the historic clock in Downtown Sanford, Florida. At the time that the photograph was taken, the clock was located at the intersection of West First Street and South Park Avenue. the clock was originally purchased for the First National Bank No. 1, which was located in the Lyman Bank Building at 101 West First Street, in 1883. When the First National Bank moved to the corner of West First Street and South Park Avenue, the clock was stored in the basement. In 1931, A. H. Moses, a produce dealer, donated the clock to the City of Sanford. The City then placed the clock on top of a pole and traffic signal at the intersection in front of the bank. The clock broke shortly thereafter and the City received a repair estimate of $200 in January 1936. The City Commission decided to cover the clock faces with cardboard instead of repair it. In 1941, the clock was removed, as it had become a traffic hazard with the advent of bigger and faster automobiles. The clock was moved to the Elks Club Lodge, located at the northeast corner of East Second Street and San Juan Avenue. In the 1980s, the downtown renovation project had the clock refurbished by Stella Oritt, who was the granddaughter of Moses, and her husband. Oritt refurbished the clock on the condition that it would remained on Magnolia Avenue, which is where she grew up. The clock was dedicated at Magnolia Square, located at the north end of South Magnolia Avenue near East First Street, on July 9, 1985. from Naval Air Station Sanford often visited downtown and interacted with locals during the Second World War. This photograph shows an unknown sailor walking by the famous clock in Downtown Sanford.
Original 11 x 7 inch black and white photgraph by Galen W. Zern: NAS Collection, Book 1, "The Beginning-NAS Sanford 1942," Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Sanford Museum