Sanford, Texas, a town in Hutchinson County. (original) (raw)

History in a Pecan Shell

The town was named for James McEuin Sanford, cowboy, wolf-hunter, rancher, and owner of the oil rich land that the town was founded on in 1927. The town was first populated by oil company employees. Within the first year a post office, school and hotel were opened.

Unlike many boom towns, Sanford survived the initial excitment. In the 1930s, two refineries and three carbon black plants were constructed. Sanford had a mere 60 people for the 1940 Census, but with the construction of Sanford Dam and Lake Meredith, the town incorporated and new residents started arriving. The Sanford school district consolidated with the Fritch ISD in 1961. The 1980 census showed 249 people and ten years later there were still 218 residents.

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