Florence, Alabama
Florence is a city in, and the county seat of, Lauderdale County, Alabama, United States, in the state's northwestern corner, and had a population of 40,184 in the 2020 census. Florence is located along the Tennessee River and is home to the University of North Alabama, the oldest public college in the state, which makes Florence a college town. Florence is located about 70 miles west of Huntsville, Alabama, via US-72.
Florence, Alabama | |
|---|---|
City | |
Downtown Florence Historic District | |
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Flag Seal | |
| Nickname: "Alabama's Renaissance City" | |
Location of Florence in Lauderdale County, Alabama. | |
| Coordinates: 34°49′13″N 87°39′46″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alabama |
| County | Lauderdale |
| Incorporated | January 7, 1826 |
| Named for | Florence, Tuscany, Italy |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor/Council (Since 1984) |
| • Mayor | Andrew Betterton |
| Area | |
| • City | 26.73 sq mi (69.23 km2) |
| • Land | 26.52 sq mi (68.68 km2) |
| • Water | 0.21 sq mi (0.55 km2) |
| Elevation | 607 ft (185 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • City | 40,184 |
| • Density | 1,515.35/sq mi (585.08/km2) |
| • Metro | 147,317 (US: 281st) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP codes | 35630-35634 |
| Area codes | 256, 938 |
| FIPS code | 01-26896 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2403619 |
| Website | www |
Florence is the largest and principal city of the Quad Cities commonly known as "The Shoals" (which also includes the cities of Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia in Colbert County). “The Shoals” had a population of 148,779 in the 2020 census. Florence is considered northwestern Alabama's primary economic hub. Florence is the most populous city of 30 places in the United States with the name Florence, which was slightly larger than Florence, South Carolina.
Annual tourism events include the W. C. Handy Music Festival in the summer and the Renaissance Faire in the fall. Landmarks in Florence include the 20th-century Rosenbaum House, the only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home located in Alabama. The Florence Indian Mound, constructed by indigenous people between 400 BCE and 100 BCE in the Woodland period, is the largest surviving earthen mound in the state and is 43 feet high. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has been protected by the city since 1945. In 2017 a new, expanded museum was built to replace one built in 1968 that displays artifacts and interprets the ancient and historic cultures of all the indigenous peoples in the area.
The type of municipal government is a mayor-council system.
During the summer of 2023, famous singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey spent several days in Florence claiming that she had “family ties” there. She was spotted at many places in Florence including at a Waffle House where she actually briefly worked a shift there as a waitress. Additionally, Mama June from the American reality tv show Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, which aired on TLC, was allegedly living in Florence in 2021 and was seen at several spots there.
World famous band, Willis, was founded in Florence. The band has several hit songs such as “I Like When It Rains”, “CJ’s Van”, and “Fight the Vegans”.