May 20th Program Schedule

9:30 am

Learn more about the ancient art of adobe. This family-friendly activity gives you the opportunity to make your own adobe block! Learn about the adobe techniques so many of the Florence buildings use and the do's and don't of historic adobe building maintenance.

10:30 am

Talk and discussion on how this charming building outlived neglect and multiple demolition attempts, and how it's blossomed into a thriving floral shop! Before, during, and after photos and videos.

11:15 am

In celebration of Preservation Month, we are featuring a couple of Florence's 100+ historic properties. The first is the Florence Woman's Club at 231 Willow Street. The land was purchased in 1914, and the building was completed in 1929. The architects Lescher & Mahoney (who also designed the Florence High School) designed the building in the Spanish Revival Style. The building is 16,260 sq ft, and construction costs were $9,420. Construction costs were minimized by using labor from the nearby prison. The loan for the building was paid off in 1936, which was no small feat given that this was the middle of the Great Depression.

During WWII, the building was rented to the USO for $75/month as a rest area for soldiers working at the POW camp in Florence. The building has been well maintained and still contains the original ceiling light fixtures and a Spanish-style fireplace. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Buildings in 1982 and continues to serve the Florence community to this day.

Be sure to check out our Facebook page all month long for the other historical buildings featured in this series.