Florence, 1997 All-America City finalist, is a city brimming with history, character, and Southern charm. Chartered in 1871 and incorporated December 24, 1890, the original township formed as a railroad terminal. The town was named after Florence Henning Harllee, the daughter of William Wallace Harllee, the first president of the Wilmington & Manchester Railroad. Today, Florence is a community with a population of approximately 33,000 residents. The City of Florence is a fine example of a genteel, Southern city. This mid-sized Southern city is large enough to boast a performance theater, symphony orchestra, many ballet companies, museums, festivals, the East Coast Hockey League Pee Dee Pride hockey team, and the world- class recreation complex Freedom Florence. Still, the City is small enough to preserve a small-town feeling with a number of tree-lined streets and parks, all of which add to the pleasant lifestyle that citizens enjoy. Residents exude a strong sense of community pride and Southern hospitality. The City of Florence is the largest city in the Northeastern portion of South Carolina in the heart of eight counties between the Piedmont and Coastal regions of South Carolina. The City is approximately 80 miles Northeast of Columbia, SC; 100 miles North of Charleston, SC; 90 miles South of Fayetteville, NC; and about 70 miles West of Myrtle Beach, SC. Florence is the largest city in Florence County and serves as the county seat. Florence is located at the intersection of I-95, the major north/south artery on the East Coast, and I-20 that begins in Florence and runs through Atlanta to the western United States. U.S. Highways 52, 301, and 76 also meet in Florence, providing access to Charleston, Myrtle Beach, and a direct connection via U.S. 76 with Chicago. In addition, Florence is accessible by a recently expanded regional airport, twenty trucking terminals, and both Amtrak and CSX railway services. The climate of Florence is temperate. Winters are usually mild although temperatures may dip into the teens. The warm season begins in April and extends into September. The annual average daytime temperature is 63.2 degrees.