Florence, Arizona

3 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3 Arizona E stablished in 1866 by Indian Agent Levi Ruggles, a Civil War veteran who saw the agricultural potential of the Gila River valley, the Town of Florence, Arizona proceeded under Mexican jurisdiction until 1853, when the Gadsden Purchase placed all lands south of the Gila River under the U.S. government’s authority. Today, this old Western town has a rich history, along with 140 consequential buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s also home to the first Pinal County courthouse (est. 1878), the oldest standing courthouse in the State. “What makes Florence a great place to live is absolutely our community and our historic culture,” says Mayor Tara Walter. “We’re centrally located between Phoenix and Tucson, so that gives us that set-away from the everyday hustle and bustle of city life. But we can still access it, and it can access us, and we retain the opportunity to have that small-town feel with a sense of community that pulls together. We have events happening on a regular basis that are unique and specific to the Town of Florence, AT A GLANCE TOWN OF FLORENCE, ARIZONA WHAT: County seat of Pinal County; population 28,000 WHERE: Central Arizona, 45 minutes from Tucson and Phoenix WEBSITE: www.florenceaz.gov A new frontier