Florence, South Carolina

AT A GLANCE FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA WHAT: A city of 40,000 WHERE: At the intersection of I-95 and I-20 WEBSITE: www.cityofflorence.com Florence became increasingly known for tex- tiles, pharmaceuticals, paper, and manufactur- ing, in addition to agricultural products. Although the importance of the railroads began to decline in the last half of the 20th century, the role of transportation remains a prominent thread in the tapestry of the city’s development. From the 1950s through the ear- ly 1970s, Florence’s midpoint location between New York and Miami made the city a popu- lar stop for motorists using US Highway 301. Today, situated at the intersection of interstate highways I-95 and I-20, the city continues to attract travelers from the nation’s busy eastern corridor. Its strategic location, coupled with the recently expanded air service offered by its re- gional airport, allows Florence to maintain its role as a transportation hub for the southeast. Florence also has a diverse industrial base, with a number of Fortune 500 companies, such as General Electric, Thermo Fischer Sci- entific, Otis Elevator, and Honda Motors. And because of its location at the juncture of two Interstates, the city and its outskirts host ap- proximately 5,000 hotel rooms - the highest