Sanford, Michigan

Sanford is a village located in Midland County, Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 943.

The founder's day parade is a very important annual event of this old logging village along the Tittabawassee River.

In 1864, Charles Sanford, of Madison County, New York, purchased 213 acres of land where the village is now located, along with 1,000 acres of pine land. The site was first known as the "Salt-Spring Reserve", and was the location of the first salt well in the state. Douglass Houghton, the state surveyor and geologist, superivised sinking the shaft of the well. Charles Sanford moved there in May of 1864. He platted the village in 1870. Romig identifies Jay F. Hamilton as the first postmaster of Sanfordville on June 23, 1871, while the Portrait and biographical album of Midland county, Mich. lists Phineas Hamilton as the first postmaster. The name was shortened to "Sanford" on July 13, 1871. Also in 1871, the Pere Marquette Railroad built a station in Sanford.

In 1982, Sanford voters approved repealing its 1963 village charter and become part of Jerome Township, but a Michigan court overturned the election results because it should have been presented as one proposal instead of two.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 4.0 km² (1.5 mi²). 3.3 km² (1.3 mi²) of it is land and 0.7 km² (0.3 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 18.06% water.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there are 943 people, 382 households, and 260 families residing in the village. The population density is 286.7/km² (742.1/mi²). There are 407 housing units at an average density of 123.7/km² (320.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the village is 98.20% White, 0.21% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.00% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.64% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. 1.38% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 382 households out of which 31.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.7% are married couples living together, 7.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% are non-families. 25.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.47 and the average family size is 3.02.

In the village the population is spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 92.4 males.

The median income for a household in the village is $39,063, and the median income for a family is $48,083. Males have a median income of $33,036 versus $28,500 for females. The per capita income for the village is $20,599. 8.7% of the population and 4.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 6.4% of those under the age of 18 and 1.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Sources

• Romig, Walter, L.H.D. Michigan Place Names. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1986
• Portrait and biographical album of Midland county, Mich. Evansville, Ind.:Unigraphic, 1976. [1] (http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=micounty;cc=micounty;sid=07db77c67a1608e5bfd992f0b9a10046;q1=Sanford;rgn=full%20text;idno=bad1111.0001.001;view=image;seq=00000310)[2] (http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=micounty;cc=micounty;sid=07db77c67a1608e5bfd992f0b9a10046;q1=Sanford;rgn=full%20text;idno=bad1111.0001.001;view=image;seq=00000380)