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      "Visions and Values Working Together"


About Sanford

The Sanford Area includes the City of Sanford (pop. 24,000), the Town of Broadway (pop. 1085), and the County of Lee, with a total population of approximately 50,000. The Sanford area offers family living at its best, preserving the beauty and charm of its days as a small southern railway town, and blending it with a thoroughly modern and diverse economic base, a friendly, progressive populace, and efficient, fiscally responsible local government.

Sanford is also fortuitously located in the geographic heart of North Carolina, with convenient access to the amenities of the world-renowned Research Triangle to our north, and the equally renowned golf courses and resorts of Pinehurst and Southern Pines in the Sandhills to our south. While our moderate climate and four distinct seasons make life a pleasure year-round, for those who like even more variety, we´re a mere two hours from the sunny shores of the Atlantic and just three hours from the pristine streams and evergreen forests of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Whether you are looking for a new place to call home, or simply interested in a great place to visit, welcome again to our fine community from the more than 600 Sanford area businesses who are the Sanford Area Chamber of Commerce. We have worked hard to create a favorable climate for business, promote economic growth and enhance the quality of life for the entire community, and we think that you will be pleased with the result. As you take a look around our site, we hope you find what you are seeking; if not, please feel free to drop us a note at ccsanford@wave-net.net, or us at (919) 775-7341. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Information provided by Sanford Area Chamber of Commerce

Sanford Area Chamber of Commerce  
Historic Sanford Walking Tour

The Chamber of Commerece doors frequently revolve with people coming into our area wanting more information on Sanford and Lee County. Many of these people come in as couples with one having accepted a position at a local business and the other is anxious about their new "home town". Recently we have had great success in introducing some of these folks to our area using the Historic Walking Tour produced by our Travel and Tourism Committee and Downtown Sanford, Inc. The audio, written by Chip Pate, comes on a CD that is easily carried in a portable player. One couple even played it in their car as they drove through town and then walked the route for a closer look. Tim Morrissey, the narrator, walks them through town pointing out 18 historical buildings and their stories. In addition, there are side excursions down Hawkins Avenue, North Steele Street and Chatham Street. If success can be measured by excitement, this walking tour does the trick. One couple could not wait to tell us what a "Great little town" we have here. (This was also helped along by their visit to Local Joe´s and Brick City Chop House during their stay.) If you haven´t had a chance to take the tour yourself, stop by the Chamber to pick up the CD and see Sanford through the eyes of history. You too might come away with a whole new appreciation of this place we are fortunate to call home.

Information provided by Sanford Area Chamber of Commerce



Depot Park - Downtown Sanford

Downtown Sanford, Inc. has spent the last seven years making the dream of a focal point downtown, a reality. The location of Depot Park, on the grounds of the Railroad House and the old railroad depot, was a natural choice. Once the hub of Sanford economic activity, this area of downtown had been neglected for many years; as a result, the DSI Board felt that a park located in this area could bring downtown an economic engine of its past.

Depot Park is the result of a strategic plan developed in 1997. It was at that time through the joint vision of the City of Sanford and DSI that the concept of Depot Park was born. The Railroad House, the Railroad Depot, and most importantly, the surrounding land presented a unique opportunity to create a space where people could come together downtown to meet, to play, and enjoy themselves for the day.

Designed to be constructed in two phases, Depot Park is a true urban park representing the cultural, communal, and economic center of downtown. Phase I of Depot Park was completed late in the summer of 2001. This portion of the park includes a brick bandstand, a lawn seating area that accommodates approximately 750+ people, brick-banded sidewalks, decorative lighting, ornamental fencing, and benches. Phase II of Depot Park, was just completed in May 2005. Components of Phase II include an interactive splash fountain with a large landscaped open area surrounding it, public restrooms designed to conform architecturally with the rest of the park, continuation of the ornamental fencing, an information kiosk, decorative lighting, a landscaped parking area, and streetscape along Carthage St. bordering the park. Phase II also made improvements to an existing play area which houses a historic locomotive popular with children of all ages and the Railroad House, the only historical museum of Lee County. Funding was provided by the NC Department Enhancement Grant Program, a loan from BB&T, which is debt serviced by the city's capital improvements fund and the Downtown Special Tax District, and private donations.

Today, the park serves as a gathering place for both scheduled events (concerts, patriotic rallies, etc.) and leisure activities. Many times during the day, people can be found in the park eating lunch, playing in the fountain, or reading a book. With the incorporation of the Railroad House Museum housed in the Sanford Railroad House, historical education is also an important component of the park.

It is expected that the park will have draw over 50,000 visitors a year, many of whom will spend dollars at the businesses bordering the park. No single element has benefited the most from the Park than the business expansion that has occurred with the properties bordering the park, including an antique store, three restaurants, and several office spaces. Many business owners have said that the new Park played a major role in their location decision. The construction of Depot Park is a significant beginning to inviting people to the downtown area for a variety of purposes. No other property in the downtown area could have afforded such an exciting opportunity. Over 130 years later, the location is once again a cornerstone for downtown and the city.

A copy of the Site Plan for the Park is found below, as well as a contribution form. DSI is still accepting $40 donations for inscribed brick that are placed in the park. In order to make a contribution, please print out and clip the form provided and send it along with your check. If you want to make a larger contribution, we have other items in the park that need donations as well, including benches, a fountain, and a ornamental clock.

                           Depot Park Site Plan

Information provided by Downtown Sanford Incorporated



                           Temple Theatre

Temple Theatre Information

 

Driving Directions

Restaurant Recommendations

Temple Theatre was built in 1925 by Mr. Robert Ingram, Sr. (owner of Sanford Coca-Cola Bottling), at a time when Sanford had a population of only 3,500. Located half a block from the railroad station, Temple was a frequent stop for the shows and the stars of vaudeville. For several decades it served as Lee County's principal seat of entertainment. After the death of vaudeville, Temple showed its versatility by becoming a touring house for the road shows of the 1930's (including a bit of burlesque), and then a movie theater. The Sanford Little Theatre used the Temple for its community productions during the 1960's, but in 1965 Temple Theatre closed its doors for fifteen years.

The rebirth of the Temple Theatre began in 1981 when Mr. Robert Ingram, Jr., the son of the theatre's original owner, donated the building to the citizens of Lee County. The building was designated a National Historic Site in 1983 and given a large challenge grant by the NC Legislature. Lee County citizens and businesses matched the grant, along with a generous grant from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. Through the efforts of many, the gutted and vandalized shell of Temple Theatre was refurbished with both the comfort of the theatre patron and the performer in mind. It reopened in 1984. 

A bronze plaque certifies the building's inclusion on the prestigious National Register of Historic Places. The lobby's rich magenta walls and wooden trim flank the original multi-colored floor of hexagonal tiles. Twin staircases sweep up on either side of the lobby leading to the balcony. Backstage, the actors enjoy modern dressing rooms, a kitchen, and showers. There is a full counter-weight fly system, an advanced communication network, and a computer controlled lighting system, making the theatre practical and workable. The theatre itself is intimate, with 339 seats. There is even an old-fashioned orchestra pit, which can be covered to create a larger stage. Because it was designed for vaudeville, the acoustics are superb, and audience members have a good view of the stage from every seat.

The Temple is now a cultural center for Lee County, offering professional, community, and children's theatre to the area, as well as touring musical and theatrical groups. The North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, the internationally known Red Clay Ramblers, and the Glenn Miller and Count Basie orchestras are just a few of the famous groups who have come to the Temple Theatre stage in the Past. Even the Kingston Trio graced the Temple stage recently.

The Temple Theatre Professional Acting Company now produces eight MainStage productions per season ranging from musicals to thought-provoking dramas. All the actors are paid professionals and work hard to produce the highest quality, lowest priced professional theater in the region. Audience members are attracted from the Triangle, Triad and the Sandhills areas on a regular basis. 

All moneys raised during the annual fund drive go to the maintenance and operation of the facility (utilities, insurance, equipment, security, etc.). Production expenses come from ticket sales, sponsorships, grants and advertising. Temple Theatre is a non-profit organization and all donations to it are tax deductible. 

Information provided by The Temple Theatre