Founded in 1850, Florence was born from the vision of entrepreneurs and built around the opportunities of the railroad. General William Wallace Harlee constructed the first rail lines here, and in his honor, the town was named after his daughter Florence Henning Harlee. By the end of the decade, three other rail lines crossed the town.

With the benefits of municipal services and the continued importance as a rail and transportation center, the community grew into the 20th century.

The 1970's and 1980's were decades of exciting economic growth. A burgeoning city of the '90's, Florence combines the southern charm and exciting opportunities of Carolina living.

Florence County, South Carolina, located at the juncture of Interstates 95 and 20 and halfway between New York and Miami serves as the center for trade, industry, healthcare, finance, transportation, and education for northeastern South Carolina. The diversified economy of Florence is home to over 100 national and international industries including such leaders as Hoffman La Roche, General Electric, DuPont, Stone Container, Nan Ya Plastics, The Coleman Company, Amana Corporation, Nucor and others. Over the last five years, new and expanded industrial growth within Florence County has produced net new capital investment exceeding $1.1 billion and created more than 1,700 new jobs.