Founded in 1866 by former Civil War veteran Levi Ruggles, Florence is one of the oldest non-Native towns in Arizona with a history of ranching, farming and silver mining, as well as saloons, gunslingers and colorful characters.
Florence’s history dates to the Old West and territorial days, but the town has persevered, thrived and has an eye toward the future.
Tourists flock to the town to visit its historic Main Street, which has many thriving retailers, businesses and restaurants. Despite a growing business sector around town, Main Street maintains its Old West charm. Homes in the downtown area also date back to the 19th century, with the town offering an annual historic home tour.
As the county seat, Florence is the home to Pinal County government and its beautiful 1891 Courthouse. As part of its rough-and-tumble past, Florence became the site of one of the state’s largest prison complexes. While that chapter of Florence’s story is ending, the original Arizona Prison completed in 1908 still stands.
Florence has more than 25,000 residents and is expected to grow as more master-planned communities are developed to handle exploding economic growth in the region.
Despite the growth, Florence is determined to keep the small-town feel residents love with street festivals, numerous parks, an aquatic center, a community center and McFarland State Historic Park. There’s also the almost 100-year-old Florence Junior Parada Rodeo. It’s one of the country’s oldest rodeos for youth and it takes place every Thanksgiving weekend.
The Florence Independent has been serving the town since 2020. A monthly newspaper, the Florence Independent brings readers the latest local and regional news covering town government, schools, businesses, development and entertainment, as well as goings on in San Tan Valley.
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