Remember to click on the green print throughout this blog to learn information on the subject noted
Mark your calendars for June
A Tribute to the Bee Gees
Art Tours Schedules for Sanford and Deland, Fl.
Driving Tour Around Sanford Florida
The city’s River Walk trail is a bike/walk/run trail that was completed in 2004. The ten-foot wide paved walkway spans a distance of several miles in Sanford’s downtown area along the waterfront of Lake Monroe. Phase 2, which adds over 3000 feet to the trail, was completed in 2014.
Sanford River Walk Sunset – Lake Monroe, Veteran’s Memorial Park, Florida
Welcome to a walking tour of this lovely town north of Orlando and on the banks of the St. Johns River’s Lake Monroe.
We’ll start the tour at:
THE CORNER CAFE
101 West First Street
This 1883 bock was originally the Lyman Bank and holds the record of being the oldest brick building in Sanford downtown area. Originally it faced Park Ave—but the door has been moved since then. By 1908 it had become (thru a reorganization) the First National Bank. It was after that that the door received it’s current opening on First Street.. That wasn’t the only thing that moved on—or in this case from the building—-the city clock that now sets in the square where the city market is held on the weekends—was originally part of this building. One final note that when plans were being made to create Rollins College (in Winter Park they were held here.
After passing the building turn right on South Park Ave.
Sanford has a long history and a series of ups and downs—the 1930’s with its Great Depression was particularly bad in Florida and Sanford was hit particularly hard.
Current Home of the Wet Spot Bar
Henry B. Lord Building
112 S. Park Ave
One story brick it which is currently a bar has spent a large part of it’s life providing space for jewelry stores: Starting in 1895 when it was reportedly built for Henry B. Lord—one of the first jewelers in the area , By the 1930’s it was McLaulins — belonging to Henry McLaulins who had learned jewelry making from Lord. He in turn sold out to W.E. Kader in 1941 who remained in business—still jewelry–until 1992.
turn and return to 1st St.
It took a war to improve Sanford’s economic picture—when after the start of WWII in December 1941, a Navy Station (which by 1968 was in Orlando was built here. Given Florida’s position and miles of coast line it had serious security issues and multiple submarines were known to have cruised off shore—at least one of which dropped off agents that were later located about the USA.
turn right on First crossing over S. Park Ave
But due to these economic problems development was delayed and thus much of the beautiful old town was preserved for our enjoyment today
First National Bank
101 E. First St.
in 1922 this building was designed by a NY firm and it’s six stores put it high on Sanford’s skyline. The limestone, brick and hollow tile still stands out among its much shorter neighbors. It started life as the First National bank and remained so until 1929 (when Florida was already deeply entrenched in the depression). It became a bank again in 1938 and has continued so since then—only the brand names have changed.
Long term home of the Colonial Room Restaurant
McCrory 5 & 10 Building
105 E. First St.
Built in 1906 of brick it was first a grocery store Owned by a Mr. Garner and Roberts. by 1917 it had become a Five and Ten (a retail store that carries a variety of chiefly inexpensive merchandise) which it remained for 70 years. The awning across the front is said to be typical of awning of stores during the early 1900’s
DeForest Block
121 E. First Street
Known as “Touchton’s” this brick building is Florida’s oldest. Henry L. Deforest built it in 1887 and it survived the fire that occurred that same year. Originally a general it became a bank in 1917 (Seminole County) but it was the 1933 purchase by that Touchton for a drug store in his name that was there for over 60 years for which it is obviously remembered.
Turn right on Magnolia
The area between First and Third Streets. has been called the Cultural Corridor of Sanford
Currently home of the Taste of Thyme Cafe
Hill Hardware Building
108 S. Magnolia Ave
Built for the Seminole Co. Bank in 1917 of brick and stucco for two downstairs stores and upstairs office space. Englishman, W.J. Hill’s Hardware was its first occupant. The building is basically unaltered from it’s original plan and a rectangular floor plan, a flat roof .
Cross over Magnolia and then turn back toward First Street
The two people that had the most influence on Sanford was its founder Henry Sanford and Forrest Lake, someone else you might not of heard of before he was bot mayor and member of the state government.
Current Home of Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center
Milane Theatre
201 S. Magnolia Ave.
Built in 1922 by Frank L. Miller and Edward Lane—yep they combined their last names for the original theatre’s name (and their company’s name Milane Amusement Co). It originally was hosts to vaudeville and Chataqua (Chautauqua was an adult education and social movement in the United States that was most popular during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Chautauqua assemblies spread throughout rural America up until the mid-1920’s and featured entertainment and culture for the whole community, with speakers, teachers, musicians, showmen, preachers, and specialists of the day. United States President Theodore Roosevelt once said that Chautauqua was the “most American thing in America.” Abandoned Florida: Documenting the Sunshine State’s Past) as well as movies. Rachmaninoff preformed here in 1928. ((born March 20 [April 1, New Style], 1873, Oneg, near Semyonovo, Russia—died March 28, 1943, Beverly Hills, California, U.S.), composer who was the last great figure of the tradition of Russian Romanticism and a leading piano virtuoso of his time. He is especially known for his piano concerti and the piece for piano and orchestra titled Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (1934). Britianna) and Tom Mix came by in 1933. (Thomas Edwin Mix was an American film actor and the star of many early Western movies between 1909 and 1935. He appeared in 291 films, all but nine of which were silent movies. He was Hollywood’s first Western star and helped define the genre as it emerged in the early days of the cinema. Wikipedia ). It was the Ritz (1941-64) and was the center of Sanford’s downtown which included of such announcements being made here of election results and World Series game results. But with the declines of down towns with shopping malls and the like the like this theatre, like thousands others in the county declined. A community effort to restore it resulted in a restoration and reopening in 2000 as the Helen Stairs Theatre–one of the few silent movie theaters to remain in Central Florida. Oh and check out the brick, hollow tile and stucco building’s roof and note the multi-levels which were built to accommodate lifting stage backdrops.
Cross over 2nd Street back toward 1st St.
Current Home Of Cindy’s Dance Studio
Imperial Opera House
119 S. Magnolia Ave.
Sanford’s center for entertainment, it opened in 1910 built by WG Hammond for T.J. Miller and his son. The original lessee who opened the opera house—believe it or not the second one in Sanford—the previous one occupied and area across the street and was described as barn like. It’s style—I actually found this I am not making it up–is Florentine Palazzo style of rusticated concrete block (don’t ask)—but no what you see isn’t that rusty stuff —that is now covered with stucco. The canopy and roof are 1925 additions.
Formerly the Smiling Bison—-can not find a current occupant
Sanford Herald Building
107 S. Magnolia
2-story is another rusticated concrete block with a reconstructed two story porch. It was built in 1910 for the Sanford Herald (founded 1908) with offices and print room. Builder: W.G. Hammond. In 1933 it’s new occupant was the Sanford’s Lodge of Odd Fellows (IOOF), It has most recently had a couple (or more) restaurants over the years but now is apparently empty.
on the corner of First and Magnolia
Now part of the Hollerbach’s Willow Tree Complex (201-205) on First Street
People’s Bank Building and Block
201 – 203 East First Street
The white sandstone brick and stucco Bank came into opened here in August 1906. Builder was Hammond again. The exterior has reportedly had much of it decor at that opening removed since then. The block next on First street was built by the same bank in 1910 and it was used for bank offices as well as the Howard-Packard Land Co.
Sanford, FL Visitors Guide (go to bottom of site for a video of what to do)
I have so many things going on right now—weddings, meeting with friends, getting some fine tuning on this old bod etc.that my time has gotten terrifically messed up—but next week look like more normal (or as normal as I can manage: So please come back on Tues (when I normally do my first one of the week—instead of Thursday like today) to complete the other half of looking at some of Sanford’s historical downtown Building.
Recap of the Sanford Holiday Tour of Homes 2016