A Brief History of Florence
Florence grew from a small railroad settlement into an industrial center in Fremont County. In 1874, the community consisted of a station, two stores and an orchard. Oil discovered in 1881 helped transform its economy, and the town incorporated in 1887. By 1888, fifty oil wells were producing, while coal mining and gold-ore processing added to the boom. The 1890s brought extensive downtown construction and expanding refineries. Industrial activity later declined as ore processing moved elsewhere, mines closed and oil refining shifted away. Florence’s surviving downtown buildings retain a visible connection to that period of rapid growth.