Sanford, Maine
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sanford is a town and a census-designated place (CDP) in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,806 at the 2000 census. Sanford includes the village of Springvale. The town is situated on the Mousam River.
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[edit] History
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. In 1696, Mrs. Phillips willed it to her former husband's son, Peleg Sanford, from whom the name is derived, although it was first called "Phillipstown." Sanford would be incorporated in 1768. Alfred was once the "North Parish" of Sanford.
The Mousam River provided water power for mills. 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 arrived, after selling a mill in 1865 at Troy, New Hampshire which made blankets contoured to fit horses. He established Goodall Mills, manufacturing saddle blankets, carriage robes and mohair plush for upholstering railroad seats. It would also make "Palm Beach fabric," for summer suits and draperies. The company's textiles were known for brilliant and fast colors, and found buyers worldwide. From 1880 to 1910, the mill town's population would swell from 2,700 to over 9,000. In 1914, the Goodall family built Goodall Park, a 784 seat roofed stadium, now a treasured historic site. A statue of Thomas Goodall was erected in Central Park, and has recently been restored.
In 1954, Burlington Mills, then the largest textile firm, bought Sanford Mills. The latter closed, leaving 3,500 unemployed. 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. More than thirty Sanford structures were razed. In Springvale, three of four corners were leveled. Fortunately, fine architectural examples from the flush mill era survived.
In 2003, a proposal to build a $650 million casino in South Sanford was rejected by Maine voters. The 362-acre development, ostensibly owned by the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy nations, would have encompassed 4,000 slot machines, 180 gaming tables, a hotel, a 60,000 square foot 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.
[edit] Recent News
A Sanford teenager was stabbed to death at the Airport Variety store in South Sanford. Drugs were involved.
"Joshua Stewart, 20, was found walking along Route 109 a short time after police were notified of the stabbing at 7:53 p.m. Tuesday outside Airport Variety Store, said Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety.
Police said Stewart was one of half a dozen young men who were in the store parking lot when an argument ensued.
The victim, Allen Bennison, 21, of Sanford, stumbled into the store and asked clerk Crystal Son to call police. He collapsed on the floor while Son called 911."
[edit] Geography
Sanford is located at (43.439925, -70.773304)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 126.2 km² (48.7 mi²). 123.8 km² (47.8 mi²) of it is land and 2.4 km² (0.9 mi²) of it (1.89%) is water. Sanford is drained by the Mousam River.
Sanford has many big lakes that are in wooded areas and it attracts many campers to the Southern Maine town.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 20,806 people, 8,270 households, and 5,449 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 168.1/km² (435.3/mi²). There were 8,807 housing units at an average density of 71.1/km² (184.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 95.68% White, 0.44% Black or African American, 0.31% Native American, 2.07% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.27% from other races, and 1.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.96% of the population.
There were 8,270 households out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $34,668, and the median income for a family was $43,021. Males had a median income of $33,115 versus $24,264 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $16,951. About 11.1% of families and 12.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.0% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] External links
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
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