Florence

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Florence is in Pinal County midway between Phoenix and Tucson. Colonel Levi Ruggles, an Indian agent, staked and platted the town in 1866. Sources cite different origins for the town's name, but all agree it was someone's sister or daughter. By the 1920's, the area had become the agricultural center of the county.

The Florence business district is still on Main Street and, aside from the obvious improvements, downtown remains much as it must have been in the 1880s. Both the visitors and residents appreciate the diversity of the community. Florence offers the convenience and lifestyle available in a small western community, yet is only 45 minutes away from the Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas. Incorporated in 1908, Florence, at an elevation of 1,493 feet, has been the county seat since its formation in 1875.

Source: Town of Florence official website
http://www.town.florence.az.us/