The newly renovated Goodall Town Club lounge
Photo: Sanford Tribune, Feb. 22, 1951
By Lawrence Furbish
The Sanford town selectmen were very busy in February. They were hoping to settle a boundary dispute with the town of North Berwick. It involved a 4-square-mile, pie-shaped tract running northwest from Bauneg Beg Pond to the Lebanon line. The issue behind the dispute went back to 1804 and an action by the Massachusetts General Court that was never settled. (Maine was part of Massachusetts at that time, not becoming an independent state until 1820.) The parcel was part of Sanford and the General Court wanted it transferred to North Berwick, but the transfer was never acted upon. It became important because Sanford paid $30,000 to a firm for the periodically required revaluation of all town property for tax purposes. The parcel is now part of North Berwick.
The selectmen and local state legislators also traveled to Augusta seeking $8,364 in reimbursement for rented fire equipment lost or damaged in neighboring towns during the devastating 1947 forest fire. The towns were Alfred, Shapleigh, Waterboro and Kennebunkport.
They also announced that the 181st town report was ready and copies could be picked up in the selectmen’s or town clerk’s office. They expected to save $200 by not having them hand delivered house to houses.
The Goodall Town Club held an open house on a Sunday afternoon so the public could inspect the newly renovated club rooms in the Trust Company building. Entertainment and refreshments were provided. The Town Club was described as the finest establishment of its kind north of Boston.
The “usual parade” of traffic law violators came before Judge John Robert in Sanford Municipal Court. Most were speeding violations with fines of $10 and costs of $5. But one unlucky sportsman was brought in by the local game warden and charged with ice fishing with more than five lines. His fine was suspended on payment of costs.
Female grapplers were slated to make the first appearance of professional lady wrestling in Sanford at Springvale Town Hall. Miss Jean Stanton of Hollywood, CA, was scheduled to meet Miss Eve Johnson, the “Chicago Cyclone.” The former had appeared in movies, including “Annie Get Your Gun,”and the latter was a professional dress model.
First National had haddock for 19 cents a pound and Brookside ice cream for 25 cents a pint.
The State Theater was showing the Marx Brothers’ “Animal Crackers,” “Batman and Robin” and “House of Frankenstein.” The Capital was running the “Halls of Montezuma” and Howard Hawks’ “Red River.”
Lawrence Furbish is president of the Sanford-Springvale Historical Society. The Historical Society Museum in Springvale has many resources regarding Sanford’s history. It is open Thursday and Saturday, 10 am-2 pm, and Friday 10 am-4 pm.
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