Sunday, May 19, 2024
Small Town Vibe
Population 3000-4999

Florence, CO: See why we were impressed with the Antique Capital of Colorado!

Small Town Vibe

January 2024: We stopped by Florence (pop.3,822*) in early January to visit their historic downtown. While walking around Main Street, and were amazed at the sheer quantity of cute Antique and Collectible shops! Many shops are housed in the beautifully restored historic downtown buildings, with clever and enticing window and yard displays. We later learned that Main Street lays claim to the title of Antique Capital of Colorado! There are over 20 Antique and Collectable shops, as well as a shop selling cool local art, and a large number of restaurants. Downtown is also the home to the really cool Florence Brewing Company

Florence is also known for its proximity to a high security Federal Prison complex, located in an unincorporated area south of town.

Forence is a part of the Cañon City, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area and the Front Range Urban Corridor. It is located in Fremont County.

Florence – A Brief History

The first trading post on Adobe Creek was established in 1830, seven miles south of the present town of Florence. The first settlement was established in the early 1840’s. By 1870, when James McCandless struck oil and plotted his 160-acre farm, along with land donated by a few others, into a townsite. The town of Florence was incorporated in 1887, named after his young daughter. McCandless became the first Mayor and Postmaster.

The Florence Oil Fields were discovered in 1862 (first oil well west of the Mississippi River!) and is still pumping today.

The site of Florene, on the southern bank of the Arkansas River, occupied a natural access routes North-South along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains and East-West from the Mississippi. These routes were used by many western explorers, gold seekers and eventually the railroads.

The Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad opened in 1894, supporting the flow of Gold from Cripple Creek to be processed in Florence’s mills. The town flourished until the early 1900s, when many mines closed down.

WWI created demand for oil, bringing prosperity to the town until an explosion in 1925 leveled East Main Street. Florence’s economy declined further during the 1929 Great Depression and Dust Bow of the early 1930s.

Since then, Florence has become a destination for travelers and antique collectors – calling itself the Antique Capital of Colorado! Many of these businesses are located in the historic downtown buildings. The Downtown Florence Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017

Antique and Collectible Shops

The sheer quantity of Antique and Collectible and Thrift shops were impressive as we walked down the Main Street! We didn’t stop in any of the stores during this visit, but were very impressed with the clever and appealing window displays. We will be back!

Local Art Gallery and Gift Shop

Among the amazing variety of Antiques and Collectibles, we were pleased to find a local shop featuring new items from some amazing local artists! They also have some really neat items that were 3d printed right in house. We learned that FloCo logo was designed in-house; clever!

Florence Brewing Company and other Downtown Eats

We often choose local breweries as our lunch stop. As is tradition, we stopped at the Florence Brewing company. The beer was excellent! We each got a sandwich next door.

There are LOTS of other eating and drinking options downtown! Shopping takes a lot of energy, so it is good to have options 🙂

More to Explore

After our visit, i did more online research and found that there are several cool cultural venues in this creative small town.

  • Florence Pioneer Museum – Google Maps – Historic old building venue featuring artifacts & exhibits of Native American, coal mining & pioneer history – 5 stars!
  • Historic Rialto Theater – The Historical Rialto Theater was built in 1923 in Florence, Colorado. The Rialto provides live theater performances, concerts, among other attractions. The theater was added to the Colorado State Register of Historical Places on March 10, 1993
  • Bell Tower Cultural Center – Google Maps – Nice event venue!
    • The Florence Arts Council received an enormous gift in the summer of 2013. The former First Baptist Church built in 1898, was given to the council by members of the church to be used as a center of learning for the community.  The Florence Arts Council members and their volunteer friends have worked diligently to get this building back to its former glory and continue to be grateful for this outstanding gift.  We engage in partnerships with other local non-profit groups and community organizations by providing exhibition, performance, and meeting space for them. 
    • Paint the Town event – Annual Plein Air Art Event
    • Community Garden – With a 2022 Colorado Garden Foundation Startup Grant and ongoing help of the Florence Bell Tower volunteers our community garden is thriving. 

Business and Tourism are supported by the following organizations.

  • Florence Chamber of Commerce – The mission of the FLORENCE, COLORADO Chamber of Commerce is to improve the business climate, economy, and quality of life in Florence and Fremont County.
  • Fremont 360 – The mission of  Fremont360 is twofold:
    • To be THE place to go when residents and visitors alike seek information about anything to do with Fremont County, CO. We aim to provide our users with the most relevant and up-to-date information and resources available; and
    • To support and promote local businesses and non-profit organizations in Fremont County.
  • The Gold Belt Tour – The Gold Belt Tour is a Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway and a National Scenic Byway. Drive the Gold Belt Tour and retrace the historic travel routes connecting Cripple Creek and Victor Mining District, site of the world’s largest gold rush, to the communities of Florence, Cañon City and Florissant.

Map of Florence, CO

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