Florence - Pinal County Seat and Historic Arizona Town
Florence is the county seat of Pinal County, located about 60 miles southeast of Phoenix along U.S. Route 79. The town has approximately 31,100 residents. Established in 1866 on the banks of the Gila River, Florence is one of the oldest continuously inhabited non-Native settlements in Arizona. Main Street still contains over 150 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, including adobe structures from the territorial era, the 1891 Pinal County Courthouse, and the McFarland State Historic Park.
The Arizona State Prison Complex dominates the local economy and landscape. The facility, which opened in 1909, operates multiple units across the area and is one of the largest employers in town. The prison's presence has shaped Florence's identity for over a century, and several related administrative and support services are based in the community.
Agriculture remains part of the local economy. Cotton and alfalfa fields stretch along the Gila River floodplain south of town, irrigated by canals that date to the early settlement period. The Florence Copper in-situ copper recovery project, located south of the city, represents a newer economic interest.
The Florence Community Park and the Poston Butte Golf Club provide recreational space for residents. A growing number of commuters live in the newer subdivisions on the east side and drive to the Phoenix area for work, following the pattern seen in other Pinal County communities.
Tom Mix, the silent-film cowboy star, died in a car accident south of Florence in 1940; a roadside monument marks the spot on State Route 79. The Poston Butte, a prominent hill on the edge of town, overlooks the newer residential developments that have pushed the town's boundaries eastward in recent years.
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Florence is the county seat of Pinal County, located about 60 miles southeast of Phoenix along U.S. Route 79. The town has approximately 31,100 residents. Established in 1866 on the banks of the Gila River, Florence is one of the oldest continuously inhabited non-Native settlements in Arizona. Main Street still contains over 150 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, including adobe structures from the territorial era, the 1891 Pinal County Courthouse, and the McFarland State Historic Park.
The Arizona State Prison Complex dominates the local economy and landscape. The facility, which opened in 1909, operates multiple units across the area and is one of the largest employers in town. The prison's presence has shaped Florence's identity for over a century, and several related administrative and support services are based in the community.
Agriculture remains part of the local economy. Cotton and alfalfa fields stretch along the Gila River floodplain south of town, irrigated by canals that date to the early settlement period. The Florence Copper in-situ copper recovery project, located south of the city, represents a newer economic interest.
The Florence Community Park and the Poston Butte Golf Club provide recreational space for residents. A growing number of commuters live in the newer subdivisions on the east side and drive to the Phoenix area for work, following the pattern seen in other Pinal County communities.
Tom Mix, the silent-film cowboy star, died in a car accident south of Florence in 1940; a roadside monument marks the spot on State Route 79. The Poston Butte, a prominent hill on the edge of town, overlooks the newer residential developments that have pushed the town's boundaries eastward in recent years.
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