Town file
Sanford, Maine
Sanford, Maine is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 319, "Satanic Stupidity" (17 September 2022). Sanford, Maine, in 1984 was a mill town of about 21,000 people in the southern part of the state, close to the New Hampshire line.
- Town
- Sanford
- State
- Maine
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 319
- Approximate location
- 43.424, -70.758
Episode 319 / 17 September 2022 / 66 min / express
Satanic Stupidity
""We're going to Sandford, Maine, and this is southern Maine in the little panhandle there next to New Hampshire"; not too far from Old Orchard Beach." about 0:03:37
The case: Murder of Giselle Cote (April 1984). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2022
- Population
- 21,253
- Median household income
- about $44,213
- Median home value
- about $261,800
History, in brief
- The Mousam River runs through the town and provided power for industry; there was a saw mill on it as early as 1745. about 0:05:02
- The Goodall mills came to Sanford in 1867, making mohair plush for upholstering railroad seats, carpets, draperies, auto fabrics, military uniform fabric and Palm Beach fabric for summer suits. about 0:05:09
- In 1954 Burlington Mills, the nation's largest textile firm, bought the mills, then closed the plants and left large numbers of people unemployed, ruining the town's economy for a while. about 0:05:44
- The town now has diversified industries, including biotech. about 0:05:59
- A film about the town and how it perseveres starred Jason Robards. about 0:06:11
- Because of the murder the town was referred to all over the country as Terror Town. about 0:06:29
The reviews read out
5 stars
"Written in all capital letters: there need to be more things to do in Sanford besides the bowling alley and movie theatres, the schools are pretty good and the town itself is pretty calm."about 0:06:45
4 stars
"The Applebee's here is great, located in a plaza where it is always busy, family oriented with great service."about 0:07:06
3 stars
"A very short review: the weather changes daily and is always different."about 0:07:38
2 stars
"A former resident says Sanford is a pretty crappy town with not a lot to do and definitely not the safest; describes a woman trying to get into her car and a stabbing in a school bathroom, and says the town has always had a heroin and cocaine problem that is getting worse."about 0:08:05
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Lebanon, Maine8.0 miles
- Dover, New Hampshire18 miles
- Old Orchard Beach, Maine21 miles
- Kittery, Maine23 miles
- Scarborough, Maine24 miles
- Epping, New Hampshire32 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.