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Harrell
& Beverly has been doing business in Sanford since
1959. Sanford is a wonderful place to live, work and play.
Please take some time to read the brief history below,
as well as check out some of the web sites listed below.
IMPORTANT
SANFORD WEB LINKS
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City of Sanford, Florida
Sanford's local government web site.
300 N. Park Ave.
Sanford, FL 32771
www.ci.sanford.fl.us
(407) 688-5000
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The Sanford Herald
Sanford's hometown newspaper began publishing
in 1908.
300 French Ave.
Sanford, FL 32771
www.mysanfordherald.com
(407) 322-2611
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Sanford Police Department
A fully accredited police department
with over 120 sworn police officers.
815 S. French Avenue
Sanford , FL 32771
www.sanfordpolice.org
Phone: 407.688.5070
Fax: 407.688.5071
Dispatch: 407.688.5199 |
The Historic Sanford Welcome Center
The mission of the Historic Sanford
Welcome Center, Inc. is to enrich the
Sanford experience by serving as a communications
hub; operating as a welcome center to provide
education
and information showcasing Sanford
as an arts, culture, recreation
and historic destination.
230 First Street
Sanford, FL 32771
www.sanfordinfo.com
(407) 302-2586
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SANFORD, A BRIEF HISTORY
Courtesy
of the City of Sanford, www.ci.sanford.fl.us
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Map of Sanford, Florida
Click on image for more info |
Sanford sits on the south shore of Lake Monroe at the
head of the navigation on the St. Johns River. During
the Seminole Wars of the 1830's, the area was the site
of an U.S. Army post name Fort Mellon. As settlers moved
into the area, the town of Mellonville was established.
With the advent of commercial steamboat service, the town
became a distribution point for goods essential for the
growth of Central Florida. When Orange County was created
in 1845, Mellonville became the county seat.
In 1870, Henry Shelton Sanford purchased the land west
of Mellonville. He planned a new city "the Gate City
of South Florida," which he believed would become
the transportation hub for all of southern Florida. In
1877, the city of Sanford was incorporated and Mellonville
was annexed six years later. In 1880, Henry S. Sanford
formed a land company in London to encourage investments
in the new city. That same year construction began on
the South Florida Railroad with a terminus in Sanford.
By 1884, Sanford was a prosperous town with wharves, a
railroad station and a large hotel.
Mr. Sanford's greatest interest in Florida was the development
of Belair, a citrus grove and experimental garden near
Sanford. More than 140 varieties of citrus, including
the Valencia orange, were tested for adaptability to the
Florida climate.
In September 1887, a bakery on First Street caught fire.
The blaze spread rapidly through the wooden buildings
on the east side of town until stopped by the volunteer
fire department. When the town was rebuilt, the new structures
were made of brick.
During the winter of 1894-95, the citrus industry received
a serious blow when freezing temperatures destroyed the
year's entire crop. Many citizens faced economic ruin
and left the area. Those who stayed harnessed artesian
wells and developed a subirrigation system that permitted
commercial agriculture. By the first decade of the 20th
century, Sanford was one of the largest vegetable shipping
centers in the United States, and received the nickname
"Celery City" for the most successful crop.
On April 25, 1913, Seminole County was officially established
with Sanford as the county seat. In the boom and bust
years that followed, Sanford shared in the growth of Central
Florida.
From 1942 to 1968, the Sanford U.S. Naval Air Station
drew many residents away from agriculture and brought
new people to the city. Today the old station is Sanford's
International Airport.
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TEL 407-322-8415 
FAX 407-322-8416 
HBT1959@bellsouth.net
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