Sanford in Seminole County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Hotel Forrest Lake
The 158-room hotel was designed by Sanford architect Elton J. Moughton. It was part of the waterfront beautification plan that included construction of the bulkhead and Seminole Boulevard. Additionally, East First Street had to be extended from its terminus at Sanford Avenue to reach the new hotel in 1925.
In 1928 the Hotel Forrest Lake closed as a result of an investment scandal involving Mayor Lake and a local bank. In 1930 the hotel was purchased by the City of Sanford and renamed the Mayfair Hotel. In the following years it changed hands several times. It was owned by the Kirchoff family and then by the U.S. Navy.
In 1948 the hotel was purchased by the New York Giants Major League Baseball team. The team changed the name of the hotel to the Mayfair Inn. The Giants' farm teams held spring training in Sanford during the late 1940s and early 1950s.
From 1963 to 1977 the hotel served as the Sanford Naval Academy, a private military school for boys. During this period the interior of the building was extensively altered and all the remaining historic furnishings were sold off.
In 1978 the New Tribes Mission, a non-denominational international missionary group, purchased the hotel and converted it into the organization's headquarters. Many of the hotel's guest rooms were converted into apartments for missionaries.
[ Postcard illustration ]
• This marketing postcard shows a rendering of the Hotel Mayfair Inn
[ Photograph ]
• A photograph of th Hotel Forrest Lake
Images courtesy of Sanford Museum
Erected by the City of Sanford.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Industry & Commerce • Sports. A significant historical year for this entry is 1925.
Location. 28° 48.761′ N, 81° 15.494′ W. Marker is in Sanford, Florida, in Seminole County. Marker is on East Seminole Boulevard east of San Juan Avenue, on the left when traveling east. The marker is located along the Sanford RiverWalk overlooking Lake Monroe. It is directly across East Seminole Boulevard from the northwest corner of the hotel property. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Sanford FL 32771, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Georgetown and Goldsboro (about 800 feet away, measured in a direct line); Sanford's First Residents (approx. 0.2 miles away); Early Hospitals in Sanford (approx. 0.2 miles away); Sanford Est. 1877 (approx. 0.2 miles away); Site of Fort Mellon (approx. 0.2 miles away); Henry Shelton Sanford (approx. 0.3 miles away); Fort Mellon Park (approx. 0.3 miles away); Citrus to Celery (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sanford.
More about this marker. The marker has been replaced. Inscription and location remain the same, background has changed and includes a scan code.
Also see . . . Hotel Forrest Lake/New Tribes Mission. (Submitted on January 9, 2022, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 13, 2022. It was originally submitted on May 15, 2012, by Glenn Sheffield of Tampa, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,747 times since then and 100 times this year. Last updated on January 9, 2022, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on May 15, 2012, by Glenn Sheffield of Tampa, Florida. 8, 9. submitted on January 9, 2022, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.