Founded:
The Sanford Historical Committee, a town committee, was founded in 1927 "to acquire, preserve, and display items of historical significance to the Town of Sanford." It receives funding from the Annual Town Meeting.
Mission:
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.
Facilities:
The Sanford-Springvale Historical Society's museum operates out of what was the old town hall in Springvale, which was gifted to the organization by the town. The museum's collection was moved into what was the old town hall building in 2006.
The town hall building itself was constructed in 1873 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Collections:
The Town of Sanford has a vast collection of artifacts, some of which date to the 18th century. The centerpiece of the collection are the glass negatives, nearly all by Fred Philpot. That collection fills 34 volumes and consists of 1500 glass negatives.
The Society's museum also houses many historic records and other printed materials, such as local papers and yearbooks. The towns reports, records and directories dating back to the late 18th century, as well as records from many local businesses and other organizations are also included in the collections.