Welcome to Florence, the “Magic City” in the hub of northeastern South Carolina commonly called the “Pee Dee Region”. Originally founded as a railroad town, Florence has emerged into a center for industry, medicine, retail, education and culture and is now the seventh largest city in the state. Industry giants, such as General Electric, Roche Pharmaceuticals, Dupont, Nucor Steel, & Honda have called Florence home for years. Monster.com, QVC, & H.J. Heinz have all recently started operations here as well. Cutting edge health care services draw many people to the area. With two major hospital systems, McLeod Health and Carolinas Hospital System, Florence continues to keep its residents in the forefront of medical technology and service. The city is now in the process of revitalizing the downtown area. A beautiful, new library opened several years ago. The Florence Little Theatre, which has been producing shows since the 1920's, recently moved into a new, state of the art building. And ground was recently broken on the Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center. The purpose of this on-going revitalization is two fold: first, to continue to offer residents improved arts & entertainment options; two, to draw more businesses to downtown. The vision is to create a cultural destination that will include entertainment, fine dining, & social activities for the ever growing population. Recreation is also a big part of the community: Freedom Florence, a premier five-field softball facility, hosts various state, regional, and national tournaments. The facility also boasts a 10,000 square foot gymnastics center, several youth football & soccer fields, walking/jogging and biking trails, picnic areas and a lake. Golfers appreciate the extended playing season made possible because of the mild climate, as well as the variety of excellent courses in the Florence area. Golfers will find challenging play on exceptional greens among the 30 public and private courses in the area. Additionally, the near by golf "mecca" of Myrtle Beach offers golfers their choice of over 100 courses. The YMCA, the City Parks and Leisure Service Department, and the County's Park & Recreation Department offer a wide range of sports activities for youth and adults. The 12 public parks in Florence include tennis courts, baseball fields, swimming pools, roller skating/skateboard parks and hiking trails. In addition, Timrod Park and American Legion Field are home base for the annual Spirit of Florence, a day-long community celebration commemorating July 4th. While Florence County residents enjoy some of the lowest property taxes in South Carolina, they appreciate the gracious lifestyle and affordable housing options located throughout town. With all the advantages of a growing metropolis but with the charm of Southern hospitality, the Greater Florence area blends rural, suburban, commercial and industrial advantages for the 126,000 lucky people who have chosen our community. Visit Florence and we think you’ll agree that our area is a great place to live.
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