816 West 2nd Street
Florence, Colorado 81226, USA

History of Florence

Florence, Colorado boasts a fascinating and vibrant history that has shaped the town into what it is today. Initially attracting people to Eastern Fremont County for ranching and farming due to its wide-open spaces and fertile soil, Florence soon revealed its rich tapestry of offerings.

In 1830, a French trader named Maurice established the first trading post on Adobe Creek, about seven miles south of the current town in the Florence Mountain Park area. Eight years later, a significant battle occurred between the Sioux and Arapaho Indians and settlers who took refuge in Maurice's fort. With help from the local Utes, the settlers emerged victorious.

Between 1840 and 1846, the first American settlement on Adobe Creek was formed under the leadership of figures such as Governor Charles Bent, L.P. Lupton, Colonel Ceran St. Vrain, Charles Beaubien, L.V. Maxwell, and John C. Fremont, also known as "The Pathfinder." Fremont is commemorated with a statue and park just west of town on Highway 115 at Pathfinder Park.

Florence began to take shape in 1870 with a few buildings, but it wasn't until James McCandless struck oil and plotted his 160-acre farm into a townsite that it began to flourish. He invited others, including Edwin Lobach, to contribute land, and the town was named after McCandless's three-year-old daughter, Florence. Incorporated in 1887, McCandless served as the first mayor and postmaster, and his family’s legacy includes contributions to the Presidential flag design and a Medal of Honor.

The Florence Oil Fields, discovered in 1862, are the second oldest in the United States and house the first oil well west of the Mississippi River, which still pumps today. Florence's location on a bend of the Arkansas River, as it emerges from the Rocky Mountains, has provided a wealth of natural, physical, and cultural resources.

The area's rich history includes use by various cultures for its natural resources—oil, coal, fossils, and unique topography—ranging from Native American tribes to Spanish, French, Mexican, and Texan settlers. Colorado became a territory in 1861 and achieved statehood in 1876. The strategic location of Florence on the southern bank of the Arkansas River offered natural access routes north-south along the Front Range and east-west from the Mississippi, utilized by explorers like Zebulon Pike (1806), LeDuc (1851), gold seekers (1859), and William Jackson Palmer with the railroads (1872).

In 1894, the Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad opened, facilitating the flow of Cripple Creek gold to Florence's nine processing mills. The town thrived until the turn of the century, when decreased gold ore and fires affected many local mills. World War I renewed demand for oil, leading to the establishment of pipelines and equipment by the Continental Oil Company, which boosted Florence's prosperity until an explosion in 1925 devastated East Main Street. The Great Depression and the Dust Bowl further impacted Florence, leading to a period of decline.

Today, Florence has reinvented itself as a destination for travelers and antique collectors, earning the title "Antique Capital of Colorado." With a population of around 3,800, the town preserves its rich history while embracing small business growth. Antique dealers and art galleries occupy original Victorian buildings on Main Street, bringing the town’s past to life. Residents enjoy walking to local restaurants, shops, and parks, experiencing the charm of a town preserved in time.

816 West 2nd Street, Florence, Colorado 81226, USA