Altermese Bentley: The Significance of Baked Cornbread
By Keauna Brantley from the Spring 2026 Edition of Reflections Magazine Early Black settlers played essential roles in developing the economic and social infrastructure of Central Florida. In the Sanford area during the antebellum period, these settlers were primarily composed of two groups: those who fled from enslavement on northern
Sanford’s Swedish Labor and the Creation of the New Upsala Settlement
By Rachel Williams Before Gen. Henry Sanford incorporated the Florida town that would bear his name in 1877, significant preparatory work was required. In 1870, Sanford purchased over 12,000 acres of land west of Mellonville, intending to enter the state’s burgeoning citrus industry. He began by clearing the land and
The Haunts of Downtown Sanford
By Kara Kovalev Sanford’s charming historic district sits along the shores of Lake Monroe. The town was incorporated in 1877 by Henry Shelton Sanford and ten years later suffered a devastating fire that took out most of the downtown area. Fortunately, its residents were able to come together and rebuild,
The Historic Jamestown Colored School Museum
After noticing that the St. James African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church had fallen into disrepair, I began the process of forming a foundation to restore the church and to house a museum there that would tell the story of the colored schools in the Oviedo area.