Explore our collections.
Aerial view of Downtown Sanford, taken by Hal Tysinger, c.1960s.
Postcard view of Chatham Street, c.1910. Note the hanging streetlight in the top right corner.
View of Sanford Depot grounds as seen from the Depot, c.1920s.
Interior of Jonesboro Depot, with Jonesboro Depot agent _____.
A train passes the Depot grounds, with Moore Street businesses in the background. Photo taken prior to the 1954 burning and rebuilding of Brown's Auto Supply Co.
About the Museum’s Collections
The museum collections of the Railroad House Historical Association began unofficially with the purchase of the Railroad House in 1962. The growth of the collection since then has been based almost entirely on donations. Ranging in time from fossils and handcrafted Native American tools to typewriters and telephones, artifacts span the full course of Sanford’s history and prehistory.
Thanks to the work of countless volunteers, especially long-time Curator Bill Freeman, these collections have been meticulously cataloged and organized for preservation and display. In addition to objects and photographs on display in the Museum, the Railroad House holds a significant archive of photographs, vertical files, phone books, newspapers, and other materials that help tell the story of Sanford and the surrounding areas. Many of these materials are available online.
Digital Collections
The Railroad House Museum partners with the North Carolina Digital Heritage Center for scanning and digital hosting of the Museum's significant archives. This includes photographs, yearbooks, newspapers, phone books and more from Sanford and the surrounding areas. Access all these materials from the Railroad House's page on DigitalNC.org here.
Yearbooks
The Railroad House Museum recognizes the historical and personal significance of school yearbooks (or annuals). In an effort to provide easy access to historic yearbooks from Lee County Schools, the Museum works with the NC Digital Heritage Center and a range of community partners to scan yearbooks. Click the corresponding links to access available yearbooks from each school on DigitalNC.org.
What makes a yearbook historic?
Yearbooks from high schools published 50 or more years ago are eligible to be scanned. This limit is set by the NCDHC to account for both student privacy and copyright concerns. In 2026, a yearbook must date to 1976 or earlier to be scanned. Do you have a yearbook you are interested in loaning for digitization (1976 or older) or donating to the museum (any year)? We would love to hear from you - contact us here.
Central Carolina Community College
Lee County High School (aka Sanford High School, Sanford Central)
More from Lee County
In addition to the Railroad House Museum, many Lee County organizations work with the NC Digital Heritage Center to scan and host their items online. Across these organizations, 10 newspaper titles and more than 5,500 items are available online. Access all these items from the Lee County page on DigitalNC.org or navigate to each organization’s home page.