Historic Sanford is located in Central Florida on the shores of Lake Monroe and the St. Johns River and a short distance from old Fort Mellon. Founder Henry S. Sanford envisioned a place that would become the transportation hub for all of southern Florida and dubbed it "The Gate City of South Florida." The city, with its railroad and riverboat connections and well-planned business and residential areas, became a great center for trade. The citrus industry thrived in Sanford as well as the harvesting of celery. By the early 1900s, Sanford was one of the largest vegetable shipping centers in the United States and was nicknamed "Celery City." A disastrous blaze, disease, and a deep winter freeze were just some of the early setbacks the city overcame. Today, Sanford is a progressive city, yet it retains its quaint charm and is dedicated to remembering its beginnings.