The City of Florence was chartered in 1871 and incorporated in 1890
following the 1888 creation of Florence County. Prior to its charter, the city
was part of one of the original townships laid out by the Lords Proprietors in1719.
The area was gradually settled through the late and early 20th century. Early
settlers practiced subsistence farming and produced indigo, cotton, naval
stores and timber, which were shipped down the Pee Dee River to the port at
Georgetown and exported. In the mid-19th century two intersecting railroads
were built, The Wilmington and Manchester, and the North eastern. Gen. W. W.
Harllee,
