Mission Statement The Sanford-Springvale Historical Society, in conjunction with the Sanford Historical Committee, collects, preserves, and displays artifacts, documents, records, photographs and other materials and objects of historical interest to the town.  The Society makes its collections available to the public and offers educational opportunities through museum open hours and special tours for schools and other groups.  It encourages interest in history through its Newsletter and public lectures and offers classical music programs to enhance the community's cultural life.

History

The Sanford Historical Committee was formed as a Committee of the (then) Town in 1927 to acquire, preserve, and display items of historical significance to the City of Sanford. The Committee’s tireless efforts have resulted in a large collection of irreplaceable artifacts, manuscript materials and printed items representing nearly every facet of the City’s history. These are described in greater detail under collections. The Committee receives an annual appropriation from the City of Sanford for the care of its collections which are now in the new Historical Museum.

The Sanford-Springvale Historical Society was formed as a non-profit corporation in 2005 for the purpose of creating a Historical Museum for Sanford and Springvale. It immediately embarked on a fund raising campaign in order to accept the gift of the former Town Hall in Springvale from the Town of Sanford and restore it for use as a museum. This was accomplished in just over a year. The collections of the Sanford Historical Committee were moved to the newly created Sanford-Springvale Historical Museum in the fall of 2006.  This historic building, built in 1873, is now included in the National Register of Historic Places and in 2007 won one of Maine Preservation’s coveted awards for the quality of the restoration work carried out by the Historical Society. The maintenance of the Museum and the work of the Historical Society are supported by the Town’s annual appropriation mentioned above, revenue from Historical Society memberships, individual contributions and special fund raising events.

Membership

The Society encourages  everyone interested in the history of Sanford and Springvale to become Society members. The membership year runs from July 1^st to June 30^th. The various levels of membership are: