City of Florence, Kentucky

Incorporated in Jan. 1830 the city grew quickly with the completion of the Covington to Lexington turnpike in 1836. Several new businesses were founded, including several hotels, blacksmiths, and carriage makers.

During the Civil War and the Confederate invasion of Kentucky in 1862, Confederate troops threatened to attack Cincinnati and occupied Florence for a short while. After camping at Snow's Pond, a detachment of 101 Confederates was attacked at Florence in September of 1862 by a scouting party of Union cavalrymen. As Union reinforcements arrived in Cincinnati, the Confederates withdrew to Lexington, then left the state after the Battle of Perryville just one month later.

Once described as "a thriving community of law abiding citizens", the city status of a quiet northern Kentucky community changed rapidly. The nearby Greater Cincinnati Airport was built in 1947, the Northern Kentucky Industrial Park opened in 1959 and I-75 was completed through the area in 1963. In 1976 Florence Mall was completed and became a regional business hub with an assortment of stores and shopping centers surrounding the area.

Commercial growth speeded up residential construction. Between 1985 and 1989 new commercial and residential construction exceeded $25 million each year in Florence.

Industrial growth continued as well. Items produced by plants in the city include water meters, clothing, building materials, and furniture among others. The manufacturing positions in Florence are the majority of Boone County's industrial jobs.

The city is still host to many area hotels, restaurants and shopping centers drawing people traffic from a large region. It also hosts a large number of employers in the industial fields.