Sanford Historical Society

09/29/2026

Happy 149th birthday, Sanford! 🎂

On this day in 1877, Sanford was officially incorporated. Ten years later, this is what First Street looked like, looking toward Sanford Avenue.

Take a look at that sandy street, the wooden storefronts, and the horse and wagon waiting near the palms. This photo was taken in 1887, before the fire that would reshape downtown, when most buildings were built of wood.

Next year we celebrate 150 years, and we can't wait to share the milestone with you. Until then, tell us in the comments: what is your favorite piece of Sanford history?

09/11/2026

The museum is honoring a Sanford native, who died on 9/11. Never Forget 🇺🇸

This September 11th, we at the Sanford Museum remember Mr. Mannie "Mannie Boy" Leroy Clark.

Recently published in the My Sanford Herald ( ) was a wonderful article about Mr. Mannie Clark, written by Mr. Octavius “Ocky” Clark, Mannie's nephew.

You can read the article online at the Herald's website to learn more about Mr. Clark from his own family's perspective.

From The Sanford Herald, October 7, 2001:
"A native of Sanford, Clark attended and graduated from Crooms Academy (1966). Clark was employed in the first building of the World Trade Center that was hit by an airplane on Sept. 11, 2001."

Via his FindAGrave:
"Mr. Clark was the head supervisor of Security in the First Tower, covering floors 86-100. The airplane that struck the First Tower struck the same side of the building where his office was located on the 93rd floor."

Shared image is from a pamphlet created for his memorial service in Sanford.
If you have any stories or memories of Mr. Clark that you would like to share, please comment below or reach out to us to schedule an oral history recording - your stories matter!

🇺🇸

09/07/2026

Well, honey, have I got some tea for you...

Step right up and step back in time, because 1993 Sanford is about to get scandalous, and you are cordially invited to witness it. Grab your big hair, your best blazer with the shoulder pads, and get yourself down to the Sanford Museum for the second annual Murder at the Museum. A fundraiser like nothing this town has ever seen. And between you and me? Those museum exhibits aren't the only ones keeping secrets around here.

As the sun sets over Sanford on September 26th, a crime is going to unfold right before your very eyes, and somebody in that room is going to have to crack it. Who did in our poor Museum Curator? Honey, I don't know, but I intend to find out. Clues will be dropped, suspects will squirm, and by the end of the night we are going to unravel a tale so tangled up in century-old family secrets you won't believe your ears. Will we catch the killer? Only one way to find out.

And here's the best part: every dime raised supports the Sanford Museum. Now that's a cause worth dressing up for.

🕕 Doors open at 6 PM sharp, so don't be late. The storytelling starts promptly at 7.

NOW, DARLING, PICK YOUR TICKET:
👪 Family — $55
🔍 Detectives — $40
👀 Nosy Neighbor & Screamer — $30

🎟️ Get your tickets now: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/murder-at-the-museum-tickets-1998652085189?utm_experiment=test_share_listing&aff=ebdsshios

See you there... and wear something you can gossip in!

09/07/2026

This Labor Day, we're tipping our hats to the workers who made Sanford famous as the "Celery City." This postcard shows field hands boarding up celery rows along Lake Monroe, with a steamboat passing by in the background.

By the early 1900s, Sanford's celery was known nationwide, and that reputation was built on the backs of field laborers working the soil day after day.

📷 State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, circa 1910

09/03/2026

🔍 Murder at the Museum 🔍

Join us for the Sanford Historical Society's second annual Murder Mystery Party! Step into character as a DETECTIVE, NOSY NEIGHBOR, or MURDER SUSPECT, and help us crack the case. Mingle, gather clues, and see if you can solve the crime before the night is over, or find yourself among the accused!

🕵️ Limited tickets available — we will sell out! Tickets go on sale September 5.

09/01/2026

When Sanford's celery boom faded, farmers on Celery Avenue turned to a new crop: pickling cucumbers. From the late 1960s through the early '80s, pickles were grown on nearly every farm stretching from Celery Avenue to Scott Avenue to the St. Johns River.

Join the Sanford Historical Society for From Celery to Pickles: Farming in Sanford, a talk tracing the Fall 1974 pickle crop at the Wilke Farm from start to finish: soil prep, planting, harvest, and the crates loaded onto trucks bound for market.

The story will be told by local resident Bernie Wilke, whose family farmed pickles on Celery Avenue. Come learn a piece of Sanford's agricultural history straight from someone who was there.

📅 Thursday, September 17
🕠 5:30 PM
📍 Wops Hops Brewing Company

Open to the public, bring a friend!