Sandford is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

in Fayette Township, Vigo County, in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

. The community is part of the

Terre Haute Terre Haute ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, about 5 miles east of the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a ...

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

. A small portion of Sandford, now known as West Sandford or “Stringtown”, is in Illinois.

History

Sandford was established in 1854 at the state line between

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...

and

. With the building of the Indianapolis & St. Louis Railroad, it became an important town in the area. In 1890 it had a population of approximately 250. A post office was established at Sandford in 1855, and remained in operation until 1995. On Jan. 19, 1907, at least 30 people were killed when nitroglycerin exploded in a freight car as a passenger train passed.

Geography

Sandford is located at .

References

Unincorporated communities in Vigo County, Indiana Unincorporated communities in Indiana Terre Haute metropolitan area {{VigoCountyIN-geo-stub