Sanford, North Carolina
Encyclopedia
Sanford is a city in Lee County
, North Carolina
, United States
. The population was 23,220 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
of Lee County
.
as the direct center of the state.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 24.1 square miles (62.4 km²).24.1 square miles (62.3 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.33%) is water.
of 2000, there were 23,220 people, 8,550 households, and 5,899 families residing in the city. The population density
was 964.7 people per square mile (372.5/km2). There were 9,223 housing units at an average density of 383.2 per square mile (147.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 55.87% White, 29.19% African American, 0.50% Native American, 1.06% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 11.93% from other races
, and 1.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19.03% of the population.
There are 8,550 households, out of which 34.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were married couples
living together, 17.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 people and the average family size was 3.15 people.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.1% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 97.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,804, and the median income for a family was $39,447. Males had a median income of $30,527 versus $23,393 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,038. About 14.8% of families and 17.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.4% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over.
. The city council consists of the mayor and seven council members, each with a four-year term. Five of the council seats are ward (district) representatives , and two seats are citywide representatives elected at-large
.
Sanford also produces textiles, and has recently seen the influx of the BioTech industry with the Wyeth Vaccines aka-Pfizer facility becoming the area's largest employer in 2006 http://www.lcedc.com/leemanufacturers.htm.
Situated nearly equidistant from the Greensboro
, Raleigh/Durham/RTP
, and Fayetteville
metro areas, Sanford is well positioned to provide manufacturing, services, and housing throughout the region for business and industry.
Other large employers are:
Additional information on Lee County and Sanford Economic Development can be found at:
, which has published continuously since 1930. The newspaper is owned by Paxton Media Group
, based in Paducah, Kentucky
., and it has been run by three generations of the Horner family:
• W.E. Horner Sr. (Founder and Publisher Emeritus)
• William E. Horner Jr. (Publisher, 1991–98)
• Bill Horner III, Publisher (current publisher)
The Herald is currently a six-day-a-week morning newspaper and is a member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations and of the North Carolina Press Association.
In February, 2007, The Herald named Billy Liggett as editor.
Sanford and the rest of Lee County are also covered by the Lee County Star-Tribune, an online paper published by Apex, North Carolina
-based Peak Media Group.
Source: RDU Radio Waves
Organizational and neighborhood discussion groups and blogs
campus of Central Carolina Community College
(CCCC) is located in Sanford. CCCC awards degrees, diplomas and certifications in a variety of programs and is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the North Carolina State Board of Education, and by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
.
Sanford is home to three high schools: Lee County High School
, Lee Early College on CCCC's campus, and Southern Lee High School. Southern Lee High School opened its doors in the 2005-2006 school year. The two schools have developed a rivalry in which, Lee County won the first basketball game 62-60 on a last second shot. Lee County also won the first football game, 56-33, with their halfback, Rashon Kennedy, running for over 400 yards. Also, in the 2005-2006 school year, Lee Early College opened for the first year. In the program, students attend classes at the Lee County campus of Central Carolina Community College, and within a 4 to 5 year time frame earn not only a high school diploma, but an associate's degree as well.
There are three middle schools: West Lee Middle School, East Lee Middle School and SanLee Middle School. An alternative school, Bragg Street Academy, serves students in grades 7 through 11.
The Lee county school system has six traditional elementary schools: B.T. Bullock Elementary, Broadway Elementary, Deep River Elementary, Greenwood Elementary, J. Glenn Edwards Elementary, and J.R. Ingram, Jr. Elementary. Lee county is also home to an optional year round elementary school: Tramway Elementary.
Sanford is also home to a non-public Montessori school, The Montessori School of Sanford, which provides education from pre-school through fifth grade. Also within the county are two private Christian schools, serving preschool through 12th grade: Grace Christian and Lee Christian as well as a charter school, Provisions Academy. Warren Williams Child Development Center serves pre-kindergarten students, and Floyd L. Knight the Children's Center serves severe and profoundly handicapped students.
Sanford is located in Lee County, North Carolina
, which was formed from parts of the surrounding three counties in 1907. On creation of the new county, both Sanford and Jonesboro were the major towns in the area. Rather than decide which would be the county seat, the decision was to place the county's new courthouse directly between the two towns. For decades, Lee County was the only county in the United States to have a courthouse with an RFD address. In the late 20th century Sanford had grown to such an extent that it eventually merged with Jonesboro. The town of Jonesboro became Jonesboro Heights, and the name of Sanford was kept for the town.
The general Sanford area played key roles in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, specifically regarding sites like the House in the Horseshoe and Endor Iron Furnace
. Over the following decades, the Sanford area became an important source of coal, brownstone, and brick. In particular brownstone and subsequent brick production made Sanford a key provider of these building materials for areas throughout the United States.
. The airport opened in 2000, replacing the Sanford Lee County Brick Field, and provides both recreational and corporate services.
Lee County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 49,040 people, 18,466 households, and 13,369 families residing in the county. The population density was 191 people per square mile . There were 19,909 housing units at an average density of 77 per square mile...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 23,220 at the 2000 census. It is the 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 Lee County
Lee County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 49,040 people, 18,466 households, and 13,369 families residing in the county. The population density was 191 people per square mile . There were 19,909 housing units at an average density of 77 per square mile...
.
Geography
Sanford is located at 35.475881°N 79.175463°W (35.475881, -79.175463).. Sanford is known throughout North CarolinaNorth Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
as the direct center of the state.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 24.1 square miles (62.4 km²).24.1 square miles (62.3 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.33%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 23,220 people, 8,550 households, and 5,899 families residing in the city. The population density
Population 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 964.7 people per square mile (372.5/km2). There were 9,223 housing units at an average density of 383.2 per square mile (147.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 55.87% White, 29.19% African American, 0.50% Native American, 1.06% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 11.93% 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 1.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19.03% of the population.
There are 8,550 households, out of which 34.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 17.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 people and the average family size was 3.15 people.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.1% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 97.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,804, and the median income for a family was $39,447. Males had a median income of $30,527 versus $23,393 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 $17,038. About 14.8% of families and 17.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.4% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over.
Law and government
Sanford operates under a council-manager governmentCouncil-manager government
The council–manager government form is one of two predominant forms of municipal government in the United States; the other common form of local government is the mayor-council government form, which characteristically occurs in large cities...
. The city council consists of the mayor and seven council members, each with a four-year term. Five of the council seats are ward (district) representatives , and two seats are citywide representatives elected at-large
At-Large
At-large is a designation for representative members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent the whole membership of the body , rather than a subset of that membership...
.
City council
The 2008 city council members are:- Stephen M. Brewer, 1st Ward
- Linwood S. Mann, 5th ward
- Joseph E. Martin, Mayor pro tem, At-Large
- Walter H. McNeil, Jr., 4th Ward
- Cornelia Olive, Mayor
- Michael C. Stone, At-Large
- Charles Taylor, 2nd Ward
- James G. Williams, 3rd Ward
- Sanford City Council General Information
- Lee County and Sanford Directory of Officials
Business and industry
Because Sanford sits where white beach sand from the coast meets the Piedmont clay, the city has the right ingredients to be a large producer of clay bricks. In 1959, Sanford produced 10% of the bricks in the United States and was named "Brick Capital of the USA"http://www.downtownsanford.com/brickcapital_usa.htm. Today large brick production continues via manufacturers such as General Shale and Lee Brick & Tile.Sanford also produces textiles, and has recently seen the influx of the BioTech industry with the Wyeth Vaccines aka-Pfizer facility becoming the area's largest employer in 2006 http://www.lcedc.com/leemanufacturers.htm.
Situated nearly equidistant from the Greensboro
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
, Raleigh/Durham/RTP
The Triangle (North Carolina)
The Research Triangle, also known as Raleigh-Durham and commonly referred to as simply "The Triangle", is a region in the Piedmont of North Carolina in the United States, anchored by North Carolina State University, Duke University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and cities of...
, and Fayetteville
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....
metro areas, Sanford is well positioned to provide manufacturing, services, and housing throughout the region for business and industry.
Other large employers are:
- 3M3M3M Company , formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation based in Maplewood, Minnesota, United States....
- Caterpillar Inc.Caterpillar Inc.Caterpillar Inc. , also known as "CAT", designs, manufactures, markets and sells machinery and engines and sells financial products and insurance to customers via a worldwide dealer network. Caterpillar is the world's largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas...
- Central Carolina Hospital
- Coty, Inc., a cosmetics and perfume manufacturer whose brands include J-LoJennifer LopezJennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
, Celine DionCeline DionCéline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
and CalgonCalgonCalgon is a brand registered trademark of different corporations. The original product consisted of powdered sodium hexametaphosphate , which in water would complex with ambient calcium ion and certain other cations, preventing formation of unwanted salts and interference by those cations with the...
. - Magneti Marelli
- MoenMoen (company)Moen is a product line of faucets and other fixtures started by inventor Alfred M. Moen that is now part of the Fortune Brands Home & Security company. The Moen division is headquartered in North Olmsted, Ohio. Moen was originally part of Ravenna Metal Products of Seattle, Washington...
- Precision Castparts Corporation
- Static Control Components, manufacturer of anti-static equipment and component parts for remanufactured laser printer toner cartridges.
- Tyson FoodsTyson FoodsTyson Foods, Inc. is a multinational corporation based in Springdale, Arkansas, that operates in the food industry. The company is the world's second largest processor and marketer of chicken, beef, and pork only behind Brazilian JBS S.A., and annually exports the largest percentage of beef out of...
Additional information on Lee County and Sanford Economic Development can be found at:
Newspapers
The city's newspaper of record is The Sanford HeraldThe Sanford Herald
The Sanford Herald is a newspaper published Tuesdays through Sundays in Sanford, North Carolina.The Sanford Herald has a daily circulation of just over 9,000 and is published every day except Mondays and Christmas Day, and has published continuously since 1930. The Herald is a member of the Audit...
, which has published continuously since 1930. The newspaper is owned by Paxton Media Group
Paxton Media Group
Paxton Media Group of Paducah, Kentucky, is a privately held media company with holdings that include newspapers and a TV station, WPSD-TV in Paducah. David M. Paxton is president and CEO....
, based in Paducah, Kentucky
Paducah, Kentucky
Paducah is the largest city in Kentucky's Jackson Purchase Region and the county seat of McCracken County, Kentucky, United States. It is located at the confluence of the Tennessee River and the Ohio River, halfway between the metropolitan areas of St. Louis, Missouri, to the west and Nashville,...
., and it has been run by three generations of the Horner family:
• W.E. Horner Sr. (Founder and Publisher Emeritus)
• William E. Horner Jr. (Publisher, 1991–98)
• Bill Horner III, Publisher (current publisher)
The Herald is currently a six-day-a-week morning newspaper and is a member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations and of the North Carolina Press Association.
In February, 2007, The Herald named Billy Liggett as editor.
Sanford and the rest of Lee County are also covered by the Lee County Star-Tribune, an online paper published by Apex, North Carolina
Apex, North Carolina
Apex is a town in Wake County, North Carolina and a suburb of Raleigh. The population was 37,476 according to the 2010 census., wakegov.com-Geography:Apex is located at ....
-based Peak Media Group.
Radio stations
- W204AVAmerican Family RadioAmerican Family Radio is a network of more than 180 radio stations broadcasting Christian-oriented programming to over 40 states.-Overview:AFR was launched by Rev...
88.7 - Christian - WDCC 90.5 - variety (owned by Central Carolina Community CollegeCentral Carolina Community CollegeCentral Carolina Community College is a tax-supported public, non-profit, two-year college in the North Carolina Community College System. It offered its first classes in 1961. The college has campuses in Chatham, Harnett, and Lee counties, as well as a number of centers to serve those areas...
) - WLHC 103.1 - pop standards
- WFJAWFJAWFJA "Classic Hits and Oldies 105.5 FM" is a radio station licensed to Sanford, North Carolina, USA. The station is currently owned by WWGP Broadcasting Corporation.-History:...
105.5 - oldies - WDSG 107.9 - beach/oldies/gospel
- WWGPWWGPWWGP is a radio station broadcasting a Country music format. Licensed to Sanford, North Carolina, USA, its primary market covers Lee County, Chatham County, Moore County, and Harnett County. The station is currently owned by WWGP Broadcasting and is the AM sister station of WFJA.HISTORY OF W W G...
1050 - country - WXKLWXKLWXKL is a radio station broadcasting a Gospel format. Licensed to Sanford, North Carolina, USA. The station is currently owned by Thomas Broadcasting.- History :...
1290 - gospel
Source: RDU Radio Waves
Local blogs and discussion forums
Local Officials- Sanford City Council: Steve Brewer
- Sanford City Council: Charles Taylor
- Lee County Sheriff: Tracy Carter
Organizational and neighborhood discussion groups and blogs
- Carolina Trace Country Club
- Central Carolina Jaycees
- Sanford Area Chamber of Commerce
- Sanford Historic District Forum
- Stepping Stones
Schools
The Lee CountyLee County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 49,040 people, 18,466 households, and 13,369 families residing in the county. The population density was 191 people per square mile . There were 19,909 housing units at an average density of 77 per square mile...
campus of Central Carolina Community College
Central Carolina Community College
Central Carolina Community College is a tax-supported public, non-profit, two-year college in the North Carolina Community College System. It offered its first classes in 1961. The college has campuses in Chatham, Harnett, and Lee counties, as well as a number of centers to serve those areas...
(CCCC) is located in Sanford. CCCC awards degrees, diplomas and certifications in a variety of programs and is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the North Carolina State Board of Education, and by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
.
Sanford is home to three high schools: Lee County High School
Lee County High School (Sanford, North Carolina)
Lee County High School is one of two high schools in Sanford, North Carolina. The high school is located on 1708 Nash Street in Sanford and serves grades 9-12. The school mascot is the yellow jacket and the school's colors are navy & gold.-History:...
, Lee Early College on CCCC's campus, and Southern Lee High School. Southern Lee High School opened its doors in the 2005-2006 school year. The two schools have developed a rivalry in which, Lee County won the first basketball game 62-60 on a last second shot. Lee County also won the first football game, 56-33, with their halfback, Rashon Kennedy, running for over 400 yards. Also, in the 2005-2006 school year, Lee Early College opened for the first year. In the program, students attend classes at the Lee County campus of Central Carolina Community College, and within a 4 to 5 year time frame earn not only a high school diploma, but an associate's degree as well.
There are three middle schools: West Lee Middle School, East Lee Middle School and SanLee Middle School. An alternative school, Bragg Street Academy, serves students in grades 7 through 11.
The Lee county school system has six traditional elementary schools: B.T. Bullock Elementary, Broadway Elementary, Deep River Elementary, Greenwood Elementary, J. Glenn Edwards Elementary, and J.R. Ingram, Jr. Elementary. Lee county is also home to an optional year round elementary school: Tramway Elementary.
Sanford is also home to a non-public Montessori school, The Montessori School of Sanford, which provides education from pre-school through fifth grade. Also within the county are two private Christian schools, serving preschool through 12th grade: Grace Christian and Lee Christian as well as a charter school, Provisions Academy. Warren Williams Child Development Center serves pre-kindergarten students, and Floyd L. Knight the Children's Center serves severe and profoundly handicapped students.
History
Sanford was named for C.O. Sanford, a railroad civil engineer instrumental in the building of the rail lines through the area that formed the foundation of what became the city of Sanford.Sanford is located in Lee County, North Carolina
Lee County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 49,040 people, 18,466 households, and 13,369 families residing in the county. The population density was 191 people per square mile . There were 19,909 housing units at an average density of 77 per square mile...
, which was formed from parts of the surrounding three counties in 1907. On creation of the new county, both Sanford and Jonesboro were the major towns in the area. Rather than decide which would be the county seat, the decision was to place the county's new courthouse directly between the two towns. For decades, Lee County was the only county in the United States to have a courthouse with an RFD address. In the late 20th century Sanford had grown to such an extent that it eventually merged with Jonesboro. The town of Jonesboro became Jonesboro Heights, and the name of Sanford was kept for the town.
The general Sanford area played key roles in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, specifically regarding sites like the House in the Horseshoe and Endor Iron Furnace
Endor Iron Furnace
The Endor Iron Furnace was an iron furnace that operated from 1861-1864 and again from 1870-1871. It was built to take advantage of the iron deposits along the Deep River...
. Over the following decades, the Sanford area became an important source of coal, brownstone, and brick. In particular brownstone and subsequent brick production made Sanford a key provider of these building materials for areas throughout the United States.
Air
Sanford-Lee County Airport (ICAO: KTTA, FAA LID: TTA) is located approximately 7 miles northeast of Sanford via U.S. 1U.S. Route 1 in North Carolina
U.S. Route 1 is an north–south United States highway that runs for from the South Carolina state line, near Rockingham, to the Virginia state line, near Wise...
. The airport opened in 2000, replacing the Sanford Lee County Brick Field, and provides both recreational and corporate services.
Designated routes and highways
- United States Highways:
- U.S. 1U.S. Route 1 in North CarolinaU.S. Route 1 is an north–south United States highway that runs for from the South Carolina state line, near Rockingham, to the Virginia state line, near Wise...
known also in parts as Jefferson Davis Hwy and Hawkins Avenue(U.S. Bus 1) - U.S. Route 15U.S. Route 15U.S. Route 15 is a -long United States highway, designated along South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. The route is signed north–south, from U.S. Route 17 Alternate in Walterboro, South Carolina to Interstate 86 and NY 17 in Painted Post, New York.US...
- U.S. Route 421U.S. Route 421U.S. Route 421 is a spur route of U.S. 21. It runs for from Michigan City, Indiana, at U.S. 20, to Fort Fisher in North Carolina. The highway goes through the cities of Indianapolis, Indiana, Lexington, Kentucky, Boone, North Carolina, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Greensboro, North Carolina and...
, known as Horner Boulevard - U.S. Route 501U.S. Route 501-North Carolina business loops:-Virginia business loop:-External links:*...
- U.S. 1
- North Carolina Highways:
- N.C. Route 42
- N.C. Route 78North Carolina Highway 78North Carolina Highway 78 is a highway running from US 1 / US 15-501 near Sanford to NC 42 / NC 87/ US 421 in Sanford....
- N.C. Route 87
Commercial rail service
- CSX TransportationCSX TransportationCSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
- Norfolk Southern RailwayNorfolk Southern RailwayThe Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
- Atlantic and Western RailwayAtlantic and Western RailwayThe Atlantic and Western Railway is a Class III short-line railroad operating about of track in Lee County, North Carolina. Atlantic and Western is part of Genesee & Wyoming Inc. and formerly part of Rail Management and Consulting...
short line. - Atlantic & Yadkin Railway
Public transit
The County of Lee Transit System (COLTS) is a coordinated transit system that provides transportation services in Sanford and Lee County.Bicycle and pedestrian
- The Maine-to-Florida U.S. Bicycle Route 1U.S. Bicycle Route 1U.S. Bicycle Route 1 is a cross-country bicycle route that will run the length of the United States eastern seaboard from Florida to Maine. It is one of the two original U.S. Bicycle Routes, the other being U.S...
passes through downtown Sanford and Lee County. - A half-mile greenway trailGreenway (landscape)A greenway is a long, narrow piece of land, often used for recreation and pedestrian and bicycle user traffic, and sometimes for streetcar, light rail or retail uses.- Terminology :...
is located in the Kiwanis Family Park with additional mileage under development. - San-Lee Park features several miles of mountain bike trails, ranging from intermediate to advanced, as well as hiking trails, just a few miles from downtown Sanford.
Parks and recreation
- Deep River Sporting Clays
- Depot Park
- SanLee Park
- Sanford Municipal Golf Course
- Sanford Pottery Festival
- Tobacco Road Golf Course
- Deep River Northview Optimist Baseball Park
Performing arts
- Temple TheatreTemple Theatre, SanfordThe Temple Theatre at 120 Carthage St. in Sanford, North Carolina is a historic theater built in 1925 by Mr. Robert Ingram, Sr. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the theater was a touring house for road shows. During the 1960s, it was used by the Sanford Little Theater and The Footlight Players for...
- Lee County Community Orchestra
- Heart of Carolina Jazz Society
Notable former residents
- LitaAmy DumasAmy Christine Dumas , known by her primary stage name Lita, is the lead singer for the band The Luchagors as well as a retired professional wrestler and WWE Diva active from 1999 to 2006....
, former WWEWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
Diva; now resides in Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in... - J. D. McDuffie, NASCARNASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver (deceased) - Herb ThomasHerb ThomasHerbert Watson Thomas was a NASCAR pioneer who was one of the series' most successful drivers in the 1950s.-Background:...
, NASCARNASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver - Hardy BoyzHardy BoyzThe Hardy Boyz are a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of real-life brothers Matt and Jeff Hardy...
, WWEWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
wrestlers (older brother MattMatt HardyMatthew Moore "Matt" Hardy is a semi-retired American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stints in World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
was born in a Sanford hospital, and both lived there for a few months) - Floyd CouncilFloyd CouncilFloyd Council was an American blues guitarist and singer. He became a well-known practitioner of the Piedmont blues sound from that area, popular throughout the southeastern region of the US in the 1930s....
, JazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musician (deceased) - Jerry Miller, artist