Florence is a beautiful town that is nestled in the Pinal County of Arizona. Having been rated as a National Historic District, this is one of the county's oldest towns. The city of Florence offers many exhilarating sites to visit, international cuisines in its fine restaurants and there are so many historic buildings to marvel. You can explore a little bit of everything - Main Street, The Chapel of the Gila, The Ruins of Levi Ruggles House are few to mention. The enchanting small town with its bygone days structures have many exciting things in stored for you to explore.
Image by Aznaturalist (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia CommonsHistory of Florence
The present day Florence was once settled by ancestors of the San Carlos Apache tribe and the members of the Athabascans. Before the formation of the town, the Gila River was marked as the border between Mexico and the US. The town of Florence was founded by a veteran of the American Civil War, Levi Ruggles in 1866. In 1875, Florence was included among the government seat of Pinal County Courthouse. A farming community was discovered by Fred Adams in 1870, that holds post office, stores, flour mill and water tanks. At present the town is known as a Ghost town.
In 1891, the 2nd Pinal County Courthouse was constructed. In 1908, the Arizona State Prison shifted to Florence. After the mining of silver in the town's nearby mountain, the area was called the Silver King Mine. Florence was also highlighted as a site of occurrence of one of the well known gunfights in the old American southwest.
Important Locations in Florence
Florence is home to many historic buildings. The town encompasses 2 Arizona Department of Corrections prisons - Arizona State Prison Complex – Florence and Arizona State Prison Complex – Eyman. In total, the county has 9 prisons as well as federal, state and two private prisons. Arizona's 2nd Anthem development was built in Florence. Florence's two notable sites are used for major motion picture Murphy's Romance setting - open desert scenery and Main Street. Florence host the annual music festival - "Country Thunder".
Pinal County Historical Society Museum - . The museum holds numerous exhibits that highlight Florence's history and also all aspects of bygone eras related to the area. Explore more here.
McFarland State Historic Park - Over the years, it has serves as a home to a sheriff’s office, museum and hospital. You will find this small historic park in downtown Florence. Find out more here.
St. Anthony Monastery - This Monastery is the latest edition to the 10 monasteries, started by Father Ephraim of Mountain Athos. get more details here.
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument - The Casa Grande Ruins National Monument was built as the first archaeological reserve in the nation in 1892. Click here for more information.
Are you planning a vacation to Florence? This guide will help you to plan your trip better
People and Culture of Florence
Florence has an estimated population 25,536 as of 2010 census. Florence serves as a full service municipality.
The town showcase an equilibrium between the preserved past and the future to establish new growth and revitalization. Florence has 3 public schools that include one high school and two K-8 schools. Some of the town's major employers include Pinal County, Florence Unified School District, Town of Florence, Safeway, and nine correctional operations.
Time Zone and Phone Codes of Florence
Florence is in the Mountain Time Zone (UTC-7). There is no Summer Daylight Saving Time (DST).
Standard time zone: UTC - 7 hours
Daylight saving time: no DST
Time zone abbreviation: MST
Phone Codes of Florence
Florence Area Code: 520
International Country Code: 1
Did you know? Interesting Facts about Florence
Best Time to Visit Florence
The best time to visit Florence is between November and April. Summer months are hot and humid. You can enjoy low hotel and resort deals during summer months. You may find it hard to indulge in any outdoor activities during the peak summer season in Florence.
Some major festivals in Florence-
Important locations in Florence Map Guide
