Sanford – a Brief History
Sanford sits on the south shore of Lake Monroe at the head of the navigation on the St. Johns River. During the Seminole Wars of the 1830’s, the area was the site of an U.S. Army post name Fort Mellon. As settlers moved into the area, the town of Mellonville was established. With the advent of commercial steamboat service, the town became a distribution point for goods essential for the growth of Central Florida. On March 3, 1845, Florida became a state. When Orange County was created in 1845, Mellonville became the county seat.
