Home Town Sanford

SANFORD FLORIDA, 16 APRIL 2013



Lots of things going on around Sanford in the coming weeks but first I would like to say, as I am sure you will join me, my heart and prayers go out to the City of Boston and all of the rest of the world that was congregated there this past Monday for the Boston Marathon. This is not just a Boston event. The owners of the Track Shack in Orlando were there along with numerous other central Florida residents as spectators and participants and as we are used to seeing things like this on TV that occur in third world nations and not so third world nations like Israel it is just unbelievable. I guess as America continues to turn its back on God who has blessed us richly as a nation in the past when we adhered to his principals we can pretty much count on things like this happening more frequently as we turn away from his precepts.



This Saturday, the 20th is the big celebration 5 days early of Seminole County becoming 100 years old. The celebration takes place at the 5 Points complex basically across from Flea World with live bands and entertainment, crafts, art displays, history displays and talks and a whole day full of fun and entertainment centered around the colorful history of Seminole County.



Compared to Sanford which is 136 years old and other places like Boston, New York and of course St. Augustine, 100 years doesn't seem like a long time. Anyone my age or older has known someone that was here when Seminole County was carved out of Orange County in 1913 and in my case it was my Grandfather Doudney. He was born in 1898 in Sanford so he was 15 at the time of this monumental event. I really never talked to him about it but my Grandfather Southward who came to Sanford in 1918 met and knew the man whose single handed efforts brought about the creation of Seminole County. Although Forrest Lake's legacy is less than stellar, I have studied his history and I honestly believe he did more to promote and build Sanford to its once glorious days than even the fake Northern General Sanford himself whose wife absolutely detested Sanford.



It should be a great event and if you miss it you will have to wait another 100 years to participate in another one. Thanks to School Board member Amy Lockhart who is already planning the next one, the past 100 days of celebrating Seminole County has been a great success.



In case I haven't mentioned it, the Sanford Rotary Breakfast Club members will be manning the beer tents to accommodate your thirst on a warm spring day when say a coke or pepsi may not do the trick. Stop by and say hello to a great group of people that raise a ton of money every year, not for personal gain but to plow right back in to charities and groups in the Sanford area that make a difference.



If you want to take part in the celebration on the actual day, the 25th check out either the Seminole County website or the new River Cruise line website. There will be a special dinner on the St. Johns River but I'm not going to spend too much time on it since from all indications it was sold out a week or so ago but if you are interested, I could be wrong.



You know, back in the day, April 25th, 1913 when word from Tallahassee reached Sanford by telegraph it was reported that there was much revelry in the streets and the discharging of firearms into the air. Translation: They were drinking and shooting their pistols off. Anyway, a group of men rolled out the old Civil War cannon from the Armory, the one in the care and keeping of Sy Smith, a black gentleman who later played a role in the trial of Forrest Lake, was the custodian of the Sanford Elks Lodge and played a great part in the creation of the Sanford Zoo, but anyway, after a few rounds were toasted off they overloaded the thing and blew the barrel to smithereens. I understand parts were picked up as far away as three and four blocks away but fortunately no one was hurt. What is left of the cannon is now buried in the ground as the foundation of the flag pole at the Chamber of Commerce building at Sanford Ave. and First Street, formerly the U.S.O. from way back when the Navy was a huge part of Sanford and of course an integral part of it's history.



After the dust settles and we get to work building the next 100 years, on May 4th and 5th will be the second St. Johns River Art Festival in down town Sanford. Yall that know me know I'm not a real artsy-smartsy guy but I am excited about this. The one last year, the very first one was extremely well attended with all of the booths along First Street full and although I have seen larger crowds at Alive After Five I have seem smaller crowds as well and I expect this one to be even bigger and better. Kim House and Company have done a fine job marketing and promoting this event and I see it becoming a very popular event in Sanford.



Guess what? I will be trading in my Rotary cap from the Seminole County Centennial event for my Sanford Elks Lodge Hat and selling beer on First Street for all of you thirsty art patrons. Just like the Seminole County thingy there will be food vendors as well and I understand the Frying Dutchman, Henry Diekhaus (I'm sure I butchered his last name) will be purveying his world famous fries. More details on this coming up.