George C. "Newt" Sands.
A daily feature from our surrounding historical societies.
There are interesting stories to be told of Lansdale, but we don’t always have pictures to go with them. Here is one such story – we’ll do our best with graphics.
Three generations of the Sands family had quite a long history in Lansdale.
The patriarch, Thomas J. Sands (1848 – 1919) came from humble beginnings to become a well-respected member of the community. Starting at the bottom, he made his way up to a Conductor on the P. and R. Railway Company. His last position was on the “Congressional Limited” from Philadelphia to New York. John Wanamaker took this train frequently and they became friends. After 50 years, Sands retired from the railroad and Wanamaker offered him a job as floor manager at his department store. Unfortunately, this led to Sands’ death, in a fall down a flight of marble stairs while woarking.
His obituary described him as six feet, four inches tall, and one of the most popular conductors on the Reading system. He was also a lay minister. The “Sands building” at Second and Walnut Streets in Lansdale was built by him in 1890. The third story of this building was an early meeting place for church dinners and temperance meetings. The first two floors were the home of several businesses over the years. This triangular building, later called the Flatiron building, was Nolan and Company Cigar Manufacturer, the Bargain Center, the Hi Fi Lounge, and the Junction House Pub. The building still stands.
Lansdale Historical Society Facebook A son, Thomas Newton Sands (1883 – 1970), studied business. He lived all of his life in Lansdale and was involved in many fraternal organizations. He retired after 54 years with the P. and R. Railway Company, making it to the vice president’s office. In 1913, he won a $5 gold piece for coming up with a new slogan for our town: “Lansdale: Look, Linger, Locate”.
Perhaps more well-known to us is Newton’s son, George C. Sands (1906 – 1993). A 1924 graduate of Lansdale High School, he set records in track and football. He was part of the relay team under coach Joseph “Dobbie” Weaver that established a new record at the Penn Relay Carnival in 1923.
Dr. George C. Sands (1906-1993)After attending Penn State University on a full scholarship, he graduated from the Philadelphia Dental College in 1931. The same year, he opened his dental office at 17 W. Main Street, just around the corner from the Sands building. He practiced dentistry until he retired in 1988. He and his wife, Amelia (Emhardt) Sands had a home in the Oak Park section. Dr. Sands was inducted into the North Penn Alumni Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2005.
Dr. George C. Sands dentistry advertisement.
