Town of Florence Parks and Recreation Department

John Wayne was born in Iowa and lived for most of his adult life in California. Yet, he spent many years exploring, living, and investing in Arizona, where he produced his own films, raised cattle, operated a game ranch, and was seemingly everywhere at once. Wayne remains an iconic presence in American popular culture. In […]

We are intrigued by unsolved mysteries, because it would seem almost impossible for anyone to totally vanish from the face of the earth at any time. This is especially true in our day and age when a host of computer data tracks everyone; yet bodies do disappear with astonishing frequency. In some cases it may […]

Ghost towns dot Arizona’s landscape and provide unique insights into a diverse history. Some ghost towns tell a boom-to-bust story with few remaining traces of the people who once lived there, while others, like Jerome, have become thriving tourist destinations. Many are old mining locations that once bustled with life, while others tell more modern […]

Separating fact from fiction is no easy task when it comes to flamboyant stage coach robber Pearl Hart. A mountain of conflicting stories abound, thanks in no small part, to Pearl herself. So enamored of the Wild West, she embellished her own tale to accommodate the interest of newspapers and public fascination. This presentation will […]

A mother’s love, her search for her children, and her desire to serve her family through trials, persecution and death, permeate Chicano/Latino history and culture. Malinalli Tenepal, (Creeping Vine) or Malinche, became the mistress of Hernán Cortés, and later served to remind us that when crushed through oppression, the spirit will rise. Shunned as the […]

When America entered the Second World War, Arizona’s sparse population and mild weather made it an ideal location for training facilities and prisoner of war camps. By war’s end, Arizona had trained more pilots than any other state, hosted the country’s largest POW camp, and was part of the largest military training grounds in history. […]