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Sanford, Maine For Sale By Owner - Local Information
Sanford is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,806 in the 2000 census, the highest of the York County towns, and the 8th largest in the state. Situated on the Mousam River, Sanford includes the village of Springvale. The town features many lakes in wooded areas which attract campers.
Sanford is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area.
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Additional information about Sanford, Maine
Sanford is in the western portion of a tract of land purchased in 1661 from Abenaki Chief Fluellin by Major William Phillips, an owner of mills in Saco. First called Phillipstown, it was willed in 1696 by Mrs. Phillips to her former husband's son, Peleg Sanford. Settlement was delayed, however, during the French and Indian Wars. Incited by New France, Indian warriors from Norridgewock attacked English settlements, including nearby Wells in 1703. Then in 1724, Norridgewock was itself raided and destroyed by a Massachusetts militia. Subsequently, the region became less dangerous, and Sanford was settled in 1739. Incorporated a town in 1768, it was named after Peleg Sanford. Until 1794, Alfred was the town's North Parish.
The Mousam River provided water power for industry. In 1745, Captain David Morrison built a sawmill above Springvale. Following the Civil War, Sanford developed into a textile manufacturing center, connected to markets by the Portland & Rochester Railroad. Factories were built at both Springvale and Sanford villages. Products included cotton and woolen goods, carpets, shoes and lumber.
In 1867, British-born Thomas Goodall established Goodall Mills at Sanford, after selling another mill in 1865 at Troy, New Hampshire which made woolen blankets contoured to fit horses. His factory beside the Mousam River first manufactured carriage robes and blankets. It would expand to make mohair plush for upholstering railroad seats, carpets, draperies, auto fabrics, military uniform fabric and Palm Beach fabric for summer suits. The company's textiles were known for brilliant and fast colors, and found buyers worldwide. From 1880 to 1910, the mill town's population swelled from 2,700 to over 9,000, some living in houses built by the company and sold to workers at cost. In 1914, the Goodall family built Goodall Park, a 784 seat roofed stadium, now a treasured historic site. They also helped build the library, town hall, hospital, airport and golf club. A bronze statue was erected in 1917 to the memory of Thomas Goodall by the citizens of Sanford.
In 1954, Burlington Mills, then the largest textile firm, bought Sanford Mills. After moving the looms to its Southern plants, Burlington closed Sanford Mills -- leaving 3,600 unemployed and of empty mills. Local business owners began traveling the northeast, convincing new employers to move to the area. Life Magazine would call Sanford "the town that refused to die." It now has diversified industries, including the manufacture of aircraft parts. In the 1960s, the federal government offered money for urban renewal to rehabilitate aging or blighted districts. Consequently, more than thirty Sanford structures were razed. In Springvale, three of four corners were leveled. Fortunately, fine architectural examples from the prosperous mill era survived.
Sanford was the home of Belle Ashton Leavitt, the third woman attorney admitted to the Maine Bar Association. Leavitt was admitted to the Bar in 1900. Leavitt operated in partnership with attorney Fred J. Allen, her brother-in-law (Allen was married to Belle's sister Ida Leavitt), and member of the Maine Legislature.
The town gained national notoriety in 1984, when 12-year-old Gycelle Cote was strangled by Scott Waterhouse, then 18. Rumors of Satan worship surrounded the case, and some of Waterhouse's personal belonings were deemed to be occult in nature. These included a copy of Satanic Bible and a notebook carrying satanic poetry. The furor culminated in several tabloid stories and at least one headline referring to the town as "Terrortown!".
In 2003, a proposal to build a $650 million casino in South Sanford was rejected by Maine voters. The development, ostensibly owned by the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy nations, would have encompassed 4,000 slot machines, 180 gaming tables, a hotel, a convention center and an 18 hole golf course. Proponents argued that it would add 4,700 permanent jobs and 25% of revenue would be directed to the state. Detractors predicted higher crime, traffic and an erosion of Maine's quality of life.
Sanford citizens are protected by Firefighter/EMT's working out of three fire stations located in Springvale, South Sanford, and Downtown Sanford. 3 Engines, 1 Ladder, and 1 Rescue are staffed 24 hours a day; 365 days a year. Authorized strength is 45 full-time fire personnel. SFD also provides Emergency Medical Services. All firefighters are required to have a Maine EMS license ranging from EMT-Basic to Paramedic. In 2007 SFD responded to 1,150 Fire Runs & 2,515 Medical Runs for a total of 3,665 emergencies.
Image:Original Sanford Mills, Sanford, ME.jpg|Goodall Mills in 1867
Image:Central Square, Sanford, ME.jpg|Central Square c. 1905
Image:Town Hall, Sanford, ME.jpg|Town Hall c. 1915
Image:School Street, Sanford, ME.jpg|School Street c. 1908
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