Sanford Est. 1877

Sanford Est. 1877. Agriculture. Henry S. Sanford envisioned the creation of a prosperous industrial city and focused his efforts on the development of citrus crops at Belair, his 140-acre experimental garden and grove. Planting of citrus began in 1871 and its cultivation was so successful that the crop was the backbone of the city's economy for decades. "The Great Freeze” of 1894-1895 decimated the local groves and most farmers chose instead to grow celery, a sturdy vegetable well suited to the area. Celery proved to be extremely versatile and lucrative as three to four crops could be grown in a season. By the twentieth century Sanford was known nationally as the "Celery City"., Many individuals working in Sanford's fields were residents of the Georgetown community. Some traveled to other states as migrant farm workers from June through November, to take full advantage of the economic opportunity presented by year round work. Pilgrim Black (1907-2002) was born and raised in Georgetown and began working in the fields at age 11. After years of hard work as a laborer, Pilgrim became a migrant crew leader and his service was recognized by the Florida Industrial Commission. Pilgrim drove his crew of nearly 30 workers to Wayne County, NY annually to harvest potatoes, apples, and other fruit crops. Pilgrim was one of several migrant crew leaders from the area who lived a similar lifestyle. Migrant work involved long hours and hard labor, but it was a necessary means to support families and ensure a better quality of life., Pathways to History is a series of self-guided tours focused on Sanford's development and its neighborhoods. Scan the QR code with your smartphone or visit www.sanfordfl.gov to learn more about Sanford's rich history., (caption) Pilgrim Black, circa 1923. All images are courtesy of the Patricia Black collection and the Sanford Museum.