This is a list of historic properties in Florence, Arizona, which includes a photographic gallery of some of the remaining historic structures and monuments. Included are photographs of properties identified as once belonging to Adamsville, a small farming town, which was destroyed by a flood in 1990. Considered a ghost town by historians, it is part of Florence. Also, landmarks such as Poston Butte and the Tom Mix Monument are included.
Brief history
Florence was founded on the southern boundary of the Gila River by Levi Ruggles, a veteran of the American Civil War. The town is sixty-one miles southeast of Phoenix, in the Pinal County of Arizona, United States. Florence, which is the county seat of Pinal County, is one of the oldest towns there and is regarded as a National Historic District with over 25 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Many of the historical properties have been identified as such by the Florence Historic District Advisory Commission. A property identified by the commission as one with a significant historical value is then nominated for inclusion in the National Register of Historical Places.Historic District Advisory Commission. However, the local government does not have the ability to deny a demolition permit. Therefore, owners of a property listed in the National Register of Historic Places or considered as historical by the Florence Historic District Advisory Commission may demolish the historical property. The following properties have either been demolished or destroyed:
The Devine, Ed and Lottie House – 1200 Central St. The P.C. Warner House – 310 3rd St. The Ballou-Foreman House – 500 8th St. The Encarnacion Avenenti House – 203 Butte St. The James & Mary McGhee House – 330 Butte St. The Moorehouse/R.H. Dairy Complex – S. Park St. (before Duran St.) The Encinas/Cordova House – 500 Butte St.
The Florence POW Camp was one of ten of such camps in Arizona. The first prisoners who arrived in Florence were Italian POWs. That was in May 1943. The German prisoners soon followed. Following the war, the camp served as a minimum security prison and later a hospital. The site was closed down for good in 1966. Today, nothing remains of the camp. Some artifacts left behind by the former POW inmates are on display in the First Pinal County Courthouse museum.Florence's prisoner of war camp (Arizona in WII)
Images of the remaining structures of Adamsville, a ghost town, are also included. Adamsville was a farming town founded in 1870 by Fred Adams: the town had stores, homes, a post office, a flour mill and water tanks. In 1900, the Gila River overflowed and destroyed most of the town. Those who survived the flood moved to the town of Florence.Ghost towns – Adamsville
Also pictured and listed are historical artifacts that are on display and which can be found in the Pinal County Historical Society and Museum. These artifacts are related to the early history of the town, including some items related to infamous people who were imprisoned in Florence's Arizona State Prison. Pinal County Historic Society and Museum. Among the monuments pictured are the pyramid-style tomb of Charles Debrille Poston, known as the Father of Arizona, and the Tom Mix Monument at the site of the silent film star's death.Arizona Republic: Tom Mix Memorial
The Florence Bridge
The historic Florence Bridge was originally built in 1885 over the Gila River. It was rebuilt in 1909 and is the third oldest Arizona Territory bridge still in use in Arizona. The bridge was designed by J.B. Girand, Arizona's first territorial engineer. The Gila River served as a part of the border between the United States and Mexico until the 1853, when the Gadsden Purchase extended American territory well south of the Gila River. The Florence Bridge, which is described by the United States Department of the Interior as one of the most important river crossings in the state, is eligible to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places.Historic Bridges of ArizonaNational Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet
Endangered properties The Arizona Preservation Foundation is an agency which identifies critically endangered cultural resources of major historical significance to the state. In 2012, the foundation identified the following properties in Florence as endangered: The Adamsville Ruins. J. N. Denier Tenement House.
Historic properties
Buildings
The following is a brief description of the historic buildings in Florence. The E.N. Fish and Co. Store Building – built in 1867 and located at 420 Quartz St. The mercantile firm of E.N. Fish & Co., with Joseph Collingwood as partner and local manager, opened Florence's first store in this building in 1868. Listed as historic by the Historic District Advisory Commission. The Second E.N. Fish and Co. Building – built in 1874 and located at 520 Main St. The second site of the E.N. Fish & Co. Mercantile Store became the Joseph Collingwood & Co. Store and Wells Fargo Office in 1877. As chief produce buyer, E.N. Fish & Co. was responsible for providing the economic foundation of the town's early success as an agricultural trading center. The firm played a role during Florence's mining booms by extending credit to the Silver King Mine. The west wing contained hotel rooms and an office. A saloon and dining room were in the south wing. From early statehood until the mid-1940s, the west wing contained dwellings and became the American Legion Post headquarters in 1944. Listed as Historic by the Historic District Advisory Commission. The Charles Rapp Saloon Building – built in 1875 and located at 361 Main Street. Chicago-born Charles Rapp advertised the building as featuring an "Elegant Club & Reading Room in Connection with the Bar." The building was the first location of John Keating's famous "Tunnel Saloon" from 1886 to 1888. Listed as Historic by the Historic District Advisory Commission. The Silver King Hotel – built in 1876 and located at 24 W. 6th St. The building was an L-shaped adobe building with a gable roof and walls that were not plastered. The hotel was built for William Long, a partner in the Silver King Mine. Listed as Historic by the Historic District Advisory Commission. The First Pinal County Courthouse – built in 1876 and located at W. 24 Ruggle St. Levi Ruggles designed and built this adobe building in 1878. The local "Vigilance Committee" stormed the sheriff's office in this building in 1888, dragged two men from their cells and hanged them in the corridor of the jail. It served as a courthouse. Since then, it has functioned as a hospital, health center, home for the elderly, and a museum. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places on July 30, 1974, reference #74000461. The Jean Baptiste Residence/ Lone Star Store – built in 1878 and located at 220 Ruggles Street. Jean Baptiste was a farmer from the French region of Burgundy, and former artilleryman with Maximilian's occupation army in Mexico. Listed as Historic by the Historic District Advisory Commission. The John Nicolas's New Beer Hall – built in 1880 and located at 180 Bailey Street. The north portion of the house became Nicolas's "New Beer Hall". It has also been used as a newspaper printing office. Listed as Historic by the Historic District Advisory Commission. The Jean Avenenti Building – built in 1886 and located at 289 Main Street. Italian immigrant Juan Avenenti purchased this property in 1886 from Frank M. Griffen. Previously, it had belonged to Florence pioneers Levi Ruggles and Charles Douglas. Avenenti, a grocer, butcher and rancher, built the present structure for a meat market. Listed as Historic by the Historic District Advisory Commission. Florence High School – built in 1887 and located in 1000 S. Main St. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places on June 22, 1987, reference #87001306. The John Nicolas Saloon – built in 1889 and located in 46 E. 11th St. Designed by prominent Arizona architect James M. Creighton, this is the oldest standing fired-brick building in Florence. French-born rancher-farmer John Nicholas moved his saloon to this building soon after its construction in 1889. Listed as Historic by the Historic District Advisory Commission. The Conrad Brunenkant City Bakery Building – built in 1890 and located in 291 Bailey St. The two story red brick building was built for Conrad Brunenkant, a Dutch-born baker and grocer. Listed as Historic by the Historic District Advisory Commission. The Gentry's Florence Market building – built in 1890 and located at 368 main Street. The smaller addition was built in 1917 and its address is 374 N. Main St. The Second Pinal County Courthouse – built in 1891 and is located in 135 Pinal St. The Courthouse is the most important architectural landmark in Florence and the most outstanding surviving example of the American-Victorian Style in Central Arizona. The building was designed by Arizona architect James M. Creighton, who was among the Territory's first architects. Three notorious women were presented before this court. They were Pearl Heart, Eva Dugan and Winnie Ruth Judd. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places on August 2, 1978, reference #78000568. La Paloma Bar – built in 1912 and located at 255 Main St. Originally a saloon, the building served as a pool hall during statewide Prohibition. Listed as Historic by the Historic District Advisory Commission. The White and McCarthy Lumber and Hardware Building – built in 1914 and located in 290 Main St. Listed as Historic by the Historic District Advisory Commission. The Popular Store/ Mandells Dept. Store Building – built in 1915 and located in 291 Main St. It belonged to C.G. Powell' whose "The Popular Store," were specialists in ready-to-wear clothing. Kaufmann Mandell purchased the building in 1919 and operated the Mandell's Department Store. Listed as Historic by the Historic District Advisory Commission. The Mauk Building – built in 1925 and located in 360 Main St. This building was one of three built by early movie-house mogul and later U.S. Marshal, George Mauk. A portion of the Isis Theater was located on the same site. Listed as Historic by the Historic District Advisory Commission. The Florence Women's Club Building – built in 1929 and located in 231 Willow St. Listed as Historic by the Historic District Advisory Commission. The Florence Town Hall Building – built in 1948 and located in 130 Main St. The town hall also served as a police and fire station. The Town Hall was relocated in the 1980s. Listed as Historic by the Historic District Advisory Commission. The Blue Mist Motel – built in 1946 and located at 40 S. Pinal Parkway was the site of an infamous crime. Robert Moormann was in prison in Florence serving a sentence of 9-years to life for kidnapping. He was granted a 3-day furlough in January 1984. He stayed with his mother in room 22 at the Blue Mist Motel. On January 13, 1984, Moormann bought a buck knife, a steak knife and some food. He then killed and dismembered his mother, disposing of the body parts in dumpsters throughout Florence. He was executed on February 29, 2012. https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/doin-time-at-the-blue-mist-6424238 Phoenix News
Historic structures pictured The following are the images of the historic structures in Florence and its surrounding areas.
Houses of religious worship The following houses of religious worship are listed as historic by the Florence Historic District Advisory Commission.
The Chapel of the Gila – built in 1870 and located in 306 E. 8th St. Listed as Historic by the Historic District Advisory Commission. The Second Catholic Church – built in 1912 and located in 221 E. 8th St. Listed as Historic by the Historic District Advisory Commission. The First Presbyterian Church of Florence – built in 1931 and located in 225 Butte Ave. Listed as Historic by the Historic District Advisory Commission.
Houses