THE FIRST HOME for Florence Baptist Temple was in this building at the Florence Airport. The church met here in 1969 until April 1972 when it moved to its present location on South Irby Street. The building dates back to the days of the old Army Air Base

HURRICANE HUGO: It was 30 years ago that Hurricane Hugo carved a path of destruction through the Carolinas. The photos above below are of clean-up efforts in downtown Florence on the morning of Sept. 22, 1989.

THE FLORENCE AIR AND MISSILE MUSEUM was located on Highway 301 North where the entrance to the Florence Regional Airport is now. It opened in January 1964 and closed in December 1997 due to lack of funding.

WATERS FUNERAL HOME – W. M. Waters, founder of Waters Furniture and Waters Funeral Home in 1893, built this home at the corner of Pine and 400 S. Dargan Street for his wife, Laulie Howle of Hartsville, whom he married in 1874. Every time a new baby arrive

AND THE WINNER IS ... The cover of the 1965 Miss Florence Pageant Program sponsored by the Florence Junior Chamber of Commerce. The event was held at McClenaghan High School on Friday, June 19, 1964. The theme was “Mirror, Mirror On the Wall.” Pictured o

READY, SET ... HUT! The 1916 Florence High School football team.

MERITA BREAD TOUR – Teacher Hazel Meserve and students from Delmae Heights Elementary School pose outside the Merita Bread plant following a tour, circa 1959. (Photo courtesy of Tom Holston.)

MCCLENAGHAN GOLF TEAM 1958 – From left, Bob Anselmo, Billy Ayers, Billy Corbin, Buddy Baker, Billy Womack, John Orr, Don Greiner, and Coach Grant Bennett.

THE GAMBLE’S HOTEL, CIRCA 1860, was located near the railroad tracks along Front Street. Confederate forces pushed back a Union Cavalry near this site on March 5, 1865, and the confrontation became known as The Skirmish of Gamble’s Hotel. Photo courtesy o

SAUNDERS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL on S. Dargan Street in 1938. The building was torn down after a six-story tower was added in 1967. The hospital was renamed Florence General Hospital in 1972. Florence General and Bruce Hospital (across the street) were consolid

MULDROW’S MILL IN SOUTH FLORENCE, CIRCA 1960s Photo courtesy of David C. Hewitt

THE CAPRI THEATRE ON S. IRBY STREET Photo from the 1969 Southside High School Yearbook

FLORENCE POLICE TRAFFIC OFFICERS – From left, Andy Griffin, S.M. Anderson, Richard Moore, J.C. Blackwell and Lt. Ray Eason are pictured in the traffic office in 1974. Photo courtesy of J.C. Blackwell.

Dr. Frank McLeod stands with graduating nurses from the class of 1940 on the steps of the McLeod Infirmary. Photo courtesy of David C. Hewit.

The Flamingo Restaurant, formerly located at 522 South Irby Street, was opened by Gus Hondros in 1963. Andrew Kampiziones later joined him and ran the business until the property was purchased by Florence General Hospital in the mid 1980s. Photo courtesy