Sanford, Florida
Encyclopedia
Sanford is a city in, and the county seat
of, Seminole County, Florida
, United States. The population was 38,291 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 50,998. An older agricultural and resort area, Sanford is home to the Delta Connection
Academy, Seminole State College of Florida, Ligonier Ministries
and the Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens
. The city is situated beside Lake Monroe
and the St. Johns River
. It is part of the Orlando
–Kissimmee
-Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area.
inhabited the shores of Lake Monroe
at the time of European contact. By 1760, however, war and disease had decimated the tribe, which would be replaced by the Seminole
Indians. Florida was acquired by the United States from Spain in 1821, but the Seminole Wars
would delay settlement. In 1835, the Seminoles burned the port of Palatka
on the St. Johns River
, then the major artery into Central Florida
from the East Coast
. Consequently, an army garrison
was established upstream, on the southern side of Lake Monroe near a trading post
. Called Camp Monroe, the log breastwork was attacked on February 8, 1837. It would be strengthened and renamed Fort Mellon in honor of Captain Charles Mellon, the sole American casualty.
General Zachary Taylor
had a road built connecting a string of defenses from Lake Monroe to Fort Brooke
(now Tampa
). The town of Mellonville was founded around Fort Mellon in 1842 by Daniel Stewart. In 1845, Florida became a U.S. state
, and Mellonville became county seat
of Orange County, formerly called Mosquito County with its county seat across the lake at Enterprise
. Orange groves were planted, with the first fruit packing plant built in 1869. In 1870, "General" Henry Shelton Sanford
bought 12548 acres (50.8 km²) to the west of Mellonville and laid out the community of Sanford. Believing it would become a transportation hub, he called it "The Gateway City to South Florida."
Several groups of Swedes were imported as indentured servants to do the back-breaking labor of establishing a new town and clearing the sub-tropical wilderness in advance of creating a citrus empire, arriving by steamboat
in 1871. Incorporated in 1877 with a population of 100, Sanford absorbed Mellonville in 1883. The South Florida Railroad
ran a line from Tampa to Sanford, where the Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railroad ran a line to Jacksonville
, and the area became the largest shipper of oranges in the world. Arriving by steamer in April 1883, President Chester A. Arthur
vacationed a week at the Sanford House, a lakeside hotel built in 1875 and expanded in 1882.
In 1887, the city suffered a devastating fire, followed the next year by a statewide epidemic of yellow fever
. When the Great Freeze
of 1894 and 1895 ruined the citrus industry, farmers diversified by growing vegetables as well. Celery
was first planted in 1896, and until 1974 the community would be nicknamed Celery City. In 1913, Sanford became county seat of Seminole County, created from Orange County. Agriculture continued to dominate the economy until 1940, when it proved cheaper to cultivate produce in frost-free South Florida.
In 1942, Naval Air Station Sanford was established, which conducted operational training in the PV-1 Ventura, PBO Hudson
, F4F/FM-1 Wildcat
and the F6F Hellcat
. At its peak in 1943-45, NAS Sanford was home to approximately 360 officers, 1500 enlisted men and 150 WAVES
and included an auxiliary airfield to the east near Lake Harney known as Outlying Field Osceola. The base was inactivated and reduced to caretaker status in 1946, but was reactivated in 1950 in response to the Korean War
and the Cold War
. A major construction program ensued, with NAS Sanford redeveloped as a Master Jet Base for carrier-based A-3 Skywarrior
and later A-5A
and RA-5C Vigilante aircraft. At its peak in the mid-1960s, the base was home to nearly 4000 military personnel, comprising the air station personnel complement, an Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department, the Navy Dispensary, the Marine Barracks, a Replacement Air Group/Fleet Replacement Squadron for the RA-5C, and nine deployable Fleet RA-5C squadrons that routinely deployed aboard large aircraft carriers to the Mediterranean and the Pacific. The latter were heavily enagaged in combat operations during the Vietnam War
.
As a result of the increasing costs of the Vietnam War and concurrent domestic federal social programs, NAS Sanford was one of several stateside military installations identified for closure by the Department of Defense
in 1967. Flight operations were rapidly scaled down during 1968 as the squadrons of Reconnaissance Attack Wing ONE transferred to the former Turner AFB, renamed NAS Albany, Georgia. This resulted in a significant economic downturn for the City of Sanford and Seminole County with the departure of all military personnel and their families. The airfield was conveyed to the City of Sanford via quitclaim deed by the General Services Administration
(GSA) in 1969, renamed Sanford Airport and redeveloped as a general aviation
facility. Subsequently renamed Sanford Regional Airport, then Central Florida Regional Airport, the airport commenced commercial airline service in 1995 and was renamed Orlando Sanford International Airport
the following year. The Navy's presence is commemorated on the airport by two historical markers and the NAS Sanford Memorial Park, which was dedicated on Memorial Day in May 2003 and includes a restored RA-5C Vigilante on permanent static display.
The opening of Walt Disney World in October 1971 shifted the economy of Central Florida further toward tourism and residential development, the center of which is Orlando
. But because of Sanford's former preeminence as a trade center, the city retains a significant collection of older commercial and residential architecture, on streets shaded by live oaks
hung with Spanish moss
. Its location on Lake Monroe and access to the navigable waterway of the St. Johns River
has made it Central Florida's additional center for numerous marinas, allowing access for pleasure boats and commercial vessels to and from the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway
via Jacksonville
and Mayport
to the north.
Off topic history is that Kenny Chesney's music video for Young was shot on the old bridge over the Saint John's River and on the banks of the river also.
Sanford has been the setting for several recent movies, including My Girl
(1991), Passenger 57
(1992), Rosewood
(1997), Wilder Napalm
(1993), and Monster (2003). The Love Your Shorts Film Festival
is held in Sanford.
was 2,004.1 inhabitants per square mile (773.6/km²). There were 15,623 housing units at an average density of 817.7 per square mile (315.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 59.73% White, 32.14% African American, 0.45% Native American, 1.05% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.25% from other races
, and 2.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.38% of the population.
There were 14,237 households out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.5% were married couples living together, 19.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.8% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,163, and the median income for a family was $36,687. Males had a median income of $28,101 versus $21,723 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,219. About 13.2% of families and 17.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.4% of those under age 18 and 13.1% of those age 65 or over.
(primarily flights to the United Kingdom, other US locations and the Republic of Ireland). Sanford is also home to the southern terminus, Sanford Station
of the Auto Train
which connects Eastern Seaboard
travelers and their vehicles to Lorton, Virginia
, which is about 25 miles (40.2 km) away from Washington, D.C.
Sanford sits near the northern end of the I-4 Corridor
between Daytona Beach
and Orlando. The Central Florida GreeneWay (officially Seminole Expressway or simply SR 417 along its Seminole County portion) begins in Sanford at Interstate 4
and forms the Eastern Beltway around Orlando ending at Walt Disney World. When it opened it was the most expensive toll road
in the United States costing $5 one way end-to-end.
Lynx bus service is another transportation option in Sanford, Florida with many bus stops located in a multitude of areas across Metro Orlando.
Future Transportation Projects: The sometimes controversial, but very long awaited Central Florida Commuter Rail System "Sun Rail" is currently scheduled to begin operation in 2012/2013 with a scheduled station to be located in Sanford, Florida.
Below is an excerpt from the Central Florida Commuter Rail project:
Located near the intersection of State Road 46 and Airport Boulevard, vacant property near the Sanford station presents unique development partnership opportunities for surrounding land owners, local residents and community leaders. The SunRail station also will provide direct connections to new residential development on the east side of the tracks. The station also is a short distance from historic downtown Sanford, with its charming mix of antique stores, restaurants, lakefront recreational activities, county services and Central Florida Regional Hospital, as well as to the Seminole Town Mall and surrounding residential development. The SunRail station site includes a park and ride lot with bus drop off area.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of, Seminole County, Florida
Seminole County, Florida
Seminole County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. Located between Orlando to the south and Deland and Daytona Beach to the north, it is part of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. Its county seat and largest city is Sanford...
, United States. The population was 38,291 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 50,998. An older agricultural and resort area, Sanford is home to the Delta Connection
Delta Connection
Delta Connection is the name under which a number of individually owned regional airlines and one wholly owned regional carrier operate short and medium haul routes in association with Delta Air Lines Inc...
Academy, Seminole State College of Florida, Ligonier Ministries
Ligonier Ministries
Ligonier Ministries is a Reformed international Christian organization headquartered in the greater Orlando, Florida area. Founded by R. C. Sproul in the Ligonier Valley, Pennsylvania outside of Pittsburgh over forty years ago, Ligonier's stated purpose is "to awaken as many people as possible to...
and the Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens
The Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens is located north of Orlando, Florida at the intersection of I-4 and Hwy 17-92 near the city of Sanford.The zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums .-History:...
. The city is situated beside Lake Monroe
Lake Monroe (Florida)
Lake Monroe is one of the lakes that make up the St. Johns River system. The port city of Sanford is situated along the southern shore, while DeBary and Deltona are located along the northern shore. Two major central Florida roadways that run near the lake are State Road 415 and Interstate 4...
and the St. Johns River
St. Johns River
The St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The drop in elevation from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ;...
. It is part of the Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
–Kissimmee
Kissimmee, Florida
Kissimmee is a city in Osceola County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 59,682. It is the county seat of Osceola County...
-Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
The Mayaca or Jororo IndiansIndigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
inhabited the shores of Lake Monroe
Lake Monroe (Florida)
Lake Monroe is one of the lakes that make up the St. Johns River system. The port city of Sanford is situated along the southern shore, while DeBary and Deltona are located along the northern shore. Two major central Florida roadways that run near the lake are State Road 415 and Interstate 4...
at the time of European contact. By 1760, however, war and disease had decimated the tribe, which would be replaced by the Seminole
Seminole
The Seminole are a Native American people originally of Florida, who now reside primarily in that state and Oklahoma. The Seminole nation emerged in a process of ethnogenesis out of groups of Native Americans, most significantly Creeks from what is now Georgia and Alabama, who settled in Florida in...
Indians. Florida was acquired by the United States from Spain in 1821, but the Seminole Wars
Seminole Wars
The Seminole Wars, also known as the Florida Wars, were three conflicts in Florida between the Seminole — the collective name given to the amalgamation of various groups of native Americans and Black people who settled in Florida in the early 18th century — and the United States Army...
would delay settlement. In 1835, the Seminoles burned the port of Palatka
Palatka, Florida
Palatka is a city in Putnam County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,033 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 10,796. It is the county seat of Putnam County and includes East Palatka. Palatka is the principal city of the Palatka...
on the St. Johns River
St. Johns River
The St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The drop in elevation from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ;...
, then the major artery into Central Florida
Central Florida
Central Florida is a regional designation for the area surrounding Orlando in east central Florida, United States. The area represents the third largest population concentration in Florida, after the South Florida and Tampa Bay regions, respectively....
from the East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
. Consequently, an army garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
was established upstream, on the southern side of Lake Monroe near a trading post
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
. Called Camp Monroe, the log breastwork was attacked on February 8, 1837. It would be strengthened and renamed Fort Mellon in honor of Captain Charles Mellon, the sole American casualty.
General Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States and an American military leader. Initially uninterested in politics, Taylor nonetheless ran as a Whig in the 1848 presidential election, defeating Lewis Cass...
had a road built connecting a string of defenses from Lake Monroe to Fort Brooke
Fort Brooke
Fort Brooke was a historical military post situated on the east bank of the Hillsborough River in present-day Tampa, Florida. The Tampa Convention Center currently stands at the site.-Fort Brooke as a military outpost:...
(now Tampa
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
). The town of Mellonville was founded around Fort Mellon in 1842 by Daniel Stewart. In 1845, Florida became a U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
, and Mellonville became county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Orange County, formerly called Mosquito County with its county seat across the lake at Enterprise
Enterprise, Florida
Enterprise is an unincorporated community in Volusia County, in the U.S. state of Florida, and its former county seat. Situated on the northern shore of Lake Monroe, it is flanked by the cities of DeBary and Deltona. Enterprise was once the head of navigation on the St. Johns River and at various...
. Orange groves were planted, with the first fruit packing plant built in 1869. In 1870, "General" Henry Shelton Sanford
Henry Shelton Sanford
Henry Shelton Sanford was an American diplomat and businessman who founded the city of Sanford, Florida.-Early life:Sanford was born in Woodbury, Connecticut into a family with deep New England roots...
bought 12548 acres (50.8 km²) to the west of Mellonville and laid out the community of Sanford. Believing it would become a transportation hub, he called it "The Gateway City to South Florida."
Several groups of Swedes were imported as indentured servants to do the back-breaking labor of establishing a new town and clearing the sub-tropical wilderness in advance of creating a citrus empire, arriving by steamboat
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
in 1871. Incorporated in 1877 with a population of 100, Sanford absorbed Mellonville in 1883. The South Florida Railroad
South Florida Railroad
The South Florida Railroad was a railroad from Orlando to Tampa, Florida, becoming part of the Plant System in 1893 and the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902.-History:...
ran a line from Tampa to Sanford, where the Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railroad ran a line to Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, and the area became the largest shipper of oranges in the world. Arriving by steamer in April 1883, President Chester A. Arthur
Chester A. Arthur
Chester Alan Arthur was the 21st President of the United States . Becoming President after the assassination of President James A. Garfield, Arthur struggled to overcome suspicions of his beginnings as a politician from the New York City Republican machine, succeeding at that task by embracing...
vacationed a week at the Sanford House, a lakeside hotel built in 1875 and expanded in 1882.
In 1887, the city suffered a devastating fire, followed the next year by a statewide epidemic of yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
. When the Great Freeze
Great Freeze
The Great Freeze refers to the winter of 1894-1895, especially in Florida where the brutally cold weather destroyed much of the nation's citrus crop. It was also known for wiping out the Royal Palm tree from central Florida.-Weather Records:...
of 1894 and 1895 ruined the citrus industry, farmers diversified by growing vegetables as well. Celery
Celery
Apium graveolens is a plant species in the family Apiaceae commonly known as celery or celeriac , depending on whether the petioles or roots are eaten: celery refers to the former and celeriac to the latter. Apium graveolens grows to 1 m tall...
was first planted in 1896, and until 1974 the community would be nicknamed Celery City. In 1913, Sanford became county seat of Seminole County, created from Orange County. Agriculture continued to dominate the economy until 1940, when it proved cheaper to cultivate produce in frost-free South Florida.
In 1942, Naval Air Station Sanford was established, which conducted operational training in the PV-1 Ventura, PBO Hudson
Lockheed Hudson
The Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter...
, F4F/FM-1 Wildcat
F4F Wildcat
The Grumman F4F Wildcat was an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that began service with both the United States Navy and the British Royal Navy in 1940...
and the F6F Hellcat
F6F Hellcat
The Grumman F6F Hellcat was a carrier-based fighter aircraft developed to replace the earlier F4F Wildcat in United States Navy service. Although the F6F resembled the Wildcat, it was a completely new design powered by a 2,000 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800. Some tagged it as the "Wildcat's big...
. At its peak in 1943-45, NAS Sanford was home to approximately 360 officers, 1500 enlisted men and 150 WAVES
WAVES
The WAVES were a World War II-era division of the U.S. Navy that consisted entirely of women. The name of this group is an acronym for "Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service" ; the word "emergency" implied that the acceptance of women was due to the unusual circumstances of the war and...
and included an auxiliary airfield to the east near Lake Harney known as Outlying Field Osceola. The base was inactivated and reduced to caretaker status in 1946, but was reactivated in 1950 in response to the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
and the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. A major construction program ensued, with NAS Sanford redeveloped as a Master Jet Base for carrier-based A-3 Skywarrior
A-3 Skywarrior
The Douglas A-3 Skywarrior was originally designed as a strategic bomber for the United States Navy and was among the longest serving carrier-based jet aircraft in history. It entered service in the mid-1950s and was retired in 1991...
and later A-5A
A-5 Vigilante
The North American A-5 Vigilante was a carrier-based supersonic bomber designed for the United States Navy. Its service in the nuclear strike role to replace the A-3 Skywarrior was very short; however, as the RA-5C, it saw extensive service during the Vietnam War in the tactical strike...
and RA-5C Vigilante aircraft. At its peak in the mid-1960s, the base was home to nearly 4000 military personnel, comprising the air station personnel complement, an Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department, the Navy Dispensary, the Marine Barracks, a Replacement Air Group/Fleet Replacement Squadron for the RA-5C, and nine deployable Fleet RA-5C squadrons that routinely deployed aboard large aircraft carriers to the Mediterranean and the Pacific. The latter were heavily enagaged in combat operations during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
As a result of the increasing costs of the Vietnam War and concurrent domestic federal social programs, NAS Sanford was one of several stateside military installations identified for closure by the Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
in 1967. Flight operations were rapidly scaled down during 1968 as the squadrons of Reconnaissance Attack Wing ONE transferred to the former Turner AFB, renamed NAS Albany, Georgia. This resulted in a significant economic downturn for the City of Sanford and Seminole County with the departure of all military personnel and their families. The airfield was conveyed to the City of Sanford via quitclaim deed by the General Services Administration
General Services Administration
The General Services Administration is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. The GSA supplies products and communications for U.S...
(GSA) in 1969, renamed Sanford Airport and redeveloped as a general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
facility. Subsequently renamed Sanford Regional Airport, then Central Florida Regional Airport, the airport commenced commercial airline service in 1995 and was renamed Orlando Sanford International Airport
Orlando Sanford International Airport
Orlando-Sanford International Airport is a public commercial air service airport in Sanford, Florida, near Orlando. It was originally constructed as a military installation known as Naval Air Station Sanford that was in operation as a Master Jet Base for carrier-based attack and reconnaissance...
the following year. The Navy's presence is commemorated on the airport by two historical markers and the NAS Sanford Memorial Park, which was dedicated on Memorial Day in May 2003 and includes a restored RA-5C Vigilante on permanent static display.
The opening of Walt Disney World in October 1971 shifted the economy of Central Florida further toward tourism and residential development, the center of which is Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. But because of Sanford's former preeminence as a trade center, the city retains a significant collection of older commercial and residential architecture, on streets shaded by live oaks
Southern live oak
Quercus virginiana, also known as the southern live oak, is a normally evergreen oak tree native to the southeastern United States. Though many other species are loosely called live oak, the southern live oak is particularly iconic of the Old South....
hung with Spanish moss
Spanish Moss
Spanish moss is a flowering plant that grows upon larger trees, commonly the Southern Live Oak or Bald Cypress in the southeastern United States....
. Its location on Lake Monroe and access to the navigable waterway of the St. Johns River
St. Johns River
The St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The drop in elevation from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ;...
has made it Central Florida's additional center for numerous marinas, allowing access for pleasure boats and commercial vessels to and from the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway
Intracoastal Waterway
The Intracoastal Waterway is a 3,000-mile waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Some lengths consist of natural inlets, salt-water rivers, bays, and sounds; others are artificial canals...
via Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
and Mayport
Naval Station Mayport
Naval Station Mayport is a major United States Navy base in Jacksonville, Florida. It contains a military airfield with one asphalt paved runway measuring 8,001 x 200 ft. ....
to the north.
Off topic history is that Kenny Chesney's music video for Young was shot on the old bridge over the Saint John's River and on the banks of the river also.
Sanford has been the setting for several recent movies, including My Girl
My Girl (film)
My Girl is a 1991 drama film directed by Howard Zieff and written by Laurice Elehwany. The film depicts the coming-of-age of a young girl who faces many different emotional highs and lows and stars Dan Aykroyd and Jamie Lee Curtis in their first film together since 1983's Trading Places. The film...
(1991), Passenger 57
Passenger 57
Passenger 57 is a 1992 American action film starring Wesley Snipes and Bruce Payne. The film's success made Snipes a popular action hero icon.-Plot:...
(1992), Rosewood
Rosewood (film)
Rosewood is a 1997 feature film, directed by John Singleton. While based on historic events of the 1923 Rosewood massacre in Florida, the film introduces fictional characters and changes from historic accounts. It stars Ving Rhames as a man who travels to the town and becomes a witness...
(1997), Wilder Napalm
Wilder Napalm
Wilder Napalm is a 1993 romantic comedy film about a pair of pyrokinetic brothers and their rivalry for the same woman. The film was directed by Glenn Gordon Caron, and stars Dennis Quaid, Arliss Howard, and Debra Winger.-Plot:...
(1993), and Monster (2003). The Love Your Shorts Film Festival
Love Your Shorts Film Festival
The Love Your Shorts Film Festival is a film festival held in Sanford, Florida, around Valentine's Day. The Festival screens only short films under 30 minutes in length. Films are divided into different blocks for screening. Audience members at each block vote for their favorite film and winners...
is held in Sanford.
Notable natives and residents
- Red BarberRed BarberWalter Lanier "Red" Barber was an American sportscaster.Barber, nicknamed "The Ol' Redhead", was primarily identified with radio broadcasts of Major League Baseball, calling play-by-play across four decades with the Cincinnati Reds , Brooklyn Dodgers , and New York Yankees...
. sportscaster, was from Sanford - Jeff BlakeJeff BlakeJeff Bertrand Coleman Blake is a retired American football quarterback who played in the National Football League. Although he finished his career with the Chicago Bears, he was formerly a quarterback for the New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, Arizona...
, football player - Wilson G. BradshawWilson G. BradshawWilson G. Bradshaw is the third and current president of Florida Gulf Coast University.A native of Sanford, Florida and raised in West Palm Beach, Wilson Bradshaw holds bachelor's and master's degrees in psychology from Florida Atlantic University and a doctorate in psychobiology from the...
, president of Florida Gulf Coast UniversityFlorida Gulf Coast UniversityFlorida Gulf Coast University, also known as FGCU, is a coeducational public university located just south of the Southwest Florida International Airport in the South Fort Myers region of unincorporated Lee County, Florida, United States. The university belongs to the 11-campus State University... - Reggie BranchReggie BranchReginald Etoy Branch is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins. He played college football at West Virginia State University and East Carolina University....
, former running back For The Washington RedskinsWashington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... - Charlie CarlsonCharlie CarlsonCharlie Carl Carlson, Jr. , is an American author, novelist, actor, and film producer. Known as "Florida's Man in Black", or "Master of the Weird", Carlson specializes in the paranormal, strange events and places, and many historical books...
, author - Mack ClevelandMack ClevelandMack N. Cleveland, Jr. , was an attorney from Sanford in Seminole County, Florida, who served as a Democrat in both houses of the Florida State Legislature between 1953 and 1965....
, lawyer and state legislator born and practiced law in Sanford - Lee CorsoLee CorsoLeland "Lee" Corso is a sports broadcaster and football analyst for ESPN. He has been featured on ESPN's College GameDay program since its inception and he appeared annually as a commentator in EA Sports' NCAA Football through NCAA Football 11...
, sports broadcaster and football analyst for ESPN. - Jim CourierJim CourierJames Spencer "Jim" Courier, Jr. is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player from the United States. During his career, he won four Grand Slam singles titles, two at the French Open and two at the Australian Open...
, tennis player - Chris DiMarcoChris DiMarcoChristian Dean DiMarco is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. DiMarco has won seven tournaments as a pro, including three PGA Tour events.-Early years:...
, professional golfer (Heathrow) - David EcksteinDavid EcksteinDavid Mark Eckstein is a former American professional baseball player who was an infielder in Major League Baseball for ten seasons. He played college baseball for the University of Florida, and has played professionally for the Anaheim Angels, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, Arizona...
, baseball player - Jeff FaineJeff FaineJeffrey Kalei Faine is an American football center for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Cleveland Browns 21st overall in the 2003 NFL Draft...
, football player (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) - Tonga 'Uli'uli FifitaUliuli FifitaTonga 'Uli'uli Fifita is a retired professional wrestler and actor, known for his appearances in both World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation...
, better known as "Haku" and "Meng" in professional wrestling - Elvira GarnerElvira GarnerElvira Garner was a 20th century Florida author and watercolor illustrator. Her best-known children's book Ezekiel, published by Henry Holt in 1937, detailed the story of a black boy who lived in Sanford, Florida with his Mammy, Pappy and sister Emancipation...
, children's author and illustrator - Vienna Girardi, finalist on The Bachelor in 2009
- Matthew Heafy, singer and guitarist for metal band, Trivium.
- Zora Neale HurstonZora Neale HurstonZora Neale Hurston was an American folklorist, anthropologist, and author during the time of the Harlem Renaissance...
wrote her first novel, Jonah's Gourd Vine in Sanford in the 1930s - Zach JohnsonZach JohnsonZach Johnson is an American golfer, winner of the 2007 Masters Tournament.Zach Johnson may also refer to:* Zack "Jick" Johnson, one of the creators of Kingdom of Loathing* Zachary Johnson, former drummer for The Fray...
, professional golfer in PGA. - Marie KnightMarie KnightMarie Knight was an American gospel and R&B singer.-Life and career:She was born Marie Roach in Sanford, Florida but grew up in Newark, New Jersey. Her father was a construction worker and the family were members of the Church of God in Christ. She first toured as a singer in 1939 with Frances...
, gospel singer - Bobby LordBobby LordRobert L. Lord , better known as Bobby Lord, was an American country music artist popular in the 1950s and 60s.-Biography:...
, country musician - Doug Marlette, Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning cartoonist, lived in Sanford as a child. - Ron MooreRon Moore (defensive tackle)Ron Moore is a former defensive tackle in the National Football League. Moore was a member of the Atlanta Falcons during the 2001 NFL season. He had previously been drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round of the 2000 NFL Draft....
, football player - Tim RainesTim RainesTimothy Raines , nicknamed "Rock", is a former American professional baseball player. He played as a left fielder in Major League Baseball for six teams from 1979 to 2002 and was best known for his 13 seasons with the Montreal Expos...
, pro baseball player, RET. (Heathrow) - Tim Raines, Jr.Tim Raines, Jr.Timothy Raines, Jr. is a professional baseball outfielder currently playing for the Newark Bears of the Can-Am League, who are managed by his father, Tim Raines. He was with the Baltimore Orioles organization through , playing for the Orioles in and -. He played for the New Orleans Zephyrs and...
, pro baseball Player (Heathrow) - Charles RigginsCharles RigginsCharles Riggins is a former defensive end in the National Football League. Riggins was originally drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the ninth round of the 1982 NFL Draft. He would later play with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 1987 NFL season....
, football player (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) - Keith RiversKeith RiversKeith Rivers is an American football linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bengals ninth overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Southern California.-Early life:Rivers was a highly decorated letterman in football at Lake...
, all-American linebacker for USC Trojans, 2004 - 2007. Currently a linebacker for the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals. - Henry Shelton SanfordHenry Shelton SanfordHenry Shelton Sanford was an American diplomat and businessman who founded the city of Sanford, Florida.-Early life:Sanford was born in Woodbury, Connecticut into a family with deep New England roots...
, diplomat, businessman and founder of Sanford - R.C. Sproul, pastor, author, and theologian
- Rickie WeeksRickie WeeksRickie Darnell Weeks is a Major League Baseball second baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers....
, professional baseball player for The Milwaukee Brewers - Daniel L. Whitney (Larry the Cable GuyLarry the Cable GuyDaniel Lawrence Whitney , better known by his stage name and character Larry the Cable Guy, is an American comedian, actor, and former radio personality....
), comedian and actor
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 38,291 people, 14,237 households, and 9,168 families residing in the city. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,004.1 inhabitants per square mile (773.6/km²). There were 15,623 housing units at an average density of 817.7 per square mile (315.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 59.73% White, 32.14% African American, 0.45% Native American, 1.05% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.25% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.38% of the population.
There were 14,237 households out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.5% were married couples living together, 19.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.8% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,163, and the median income for a family was $36,687. Males had a median income of $28,101 versus $21,723 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $15,219. About 13.2% of families and 17.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.4% of those under age 18 and 13.1% of those age 65 or over.
Elementary
- Goldsboro Elementary
- Wilson Elementary
- Bentley Elementary
- Idyllwilde Elementary
- Wicklow Elementary
- Pine Crest Elementary
- Midway Elementary
- Hamilton Elementary
Middle
High
Transportation
While once a hub for Central Florida transportation with its port on the St. Johns River, Sanford is now home to the Orlando Sanford International AirportOrlando Sanford International Airport
Orlando-Sanford International Airport is a public commercial air service airport in Sanford, Florida, near Orlando. It was originally constructed as a military installation known as Naval Air Station Sanford that was in operation as a Master Jet Base for carrier-based attack and reconnaissance...
(primarily flights to the United Kingdom, other US locations and the Republic of Ireland). Sanford is also home to the southern terminus, Sanford Station
Sanford (Amtrak station)
Sanford is a railroad terminal in Sanford, Florida. It is the southern terminus for Amtrak's Auto Train which runs between this station and Lorton, VA. The original facility, which opened in 1971, was an older and smaller facility than the terminal at Lorton...
of the Auto Train
Auto Train
Auto Train is an scheduled train service for passengers and their automobiles operated by Amtrak between Lorton, Virginia , and Sanford, Florida . Although there are similar services around the world, the Auto Train is the only one of its kind in the United States...
which connects Eastern Seaboard
Eastern seaboard
An Eastern seaboard can mean any easternmost part of a continent, or its countries, states and/or cities.Eastern seaboard may also refer to:* East Coast of Australia* East Coast of the United States* Eastern Seaboard of Thailand-See also:...
travelers and their vehicles to Lorton, Virginia
Lorton, Virginia
Lorton is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population is 27,709 as of the 2008 census estimate.-History:...
, which is about 25 miles (40.2 km) away from Washington, D.C.
Sanford sits near the northern end of the I-4 Corridor
Interstate 4
Interstate 4 is a intrastate Highway located entirely within the state of Florida, United States. It goes from Interstate 275 in Tampa, Florida to Interstate 95 at Daytona Beach, Florida . It also has the Florida Department of Transportation designation of State Road 400, but only a small...
between Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, USA. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 64,211. Daytona Beach is a principal city of the Deltona – Daytona Beach – Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which the census bureau estimated had...
and Orlando. The Central Florida GreeneWay (officially Seminole Expressway or simply SR 417 along its Seminole County portion) begins in Sanford at Interstate 4
Interstate 4
Interstate 4 is a intrastate Highway located entirely within the state of Florida, United States. It goes from Interstate 275 in Tampa, Florida to Interstate 95 at Daytona Beach, Florida . It also has the Florida Department of Transportation designation of State Road 400, but only a small...
and forms the Eastern Beltway around Orlando ending at Walt Disney World. When it opened it was the most expensive toll road
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
in the United States costing $5 one way end-to-end.
Lynx bus service is another transportation option in Sanford, Florida with many bus stops located in a multitude of areas across Metro Orlando.
Future Transportation Projects: The sometimes controversial, but very long awaited Central Florida Commuter Rail System "Sun Rail" is currently scheduled to begin operation in 2012/2013 with a scheduled station to be located in Sanford, Florida.
Below is an excerpt from the Central Florida Commuter Rail project:
Located near the intersection of State Road 46 and Airport Boulevard, vacant property near the Sanford station presents unique development partnership opportunities for surrounding land owners, local residents and community leaders. The SunRail station also will provide direct connections to new residential development on the east side of the tracks. The station also is a short distance from historic downtown Sanford, with its charming mix of antique stores, restaurants, lakefront recreational activities, county services and Central Florida Regional Hospital, as well as to the Seminole Town Mall and surrounding residential development. The SunRail station site includes a park and ride lot with bus drop off area.