Attractions
Florence County Museum
Considered one of the Pee Dee’s premiere museums, The Florence County Museum reflects the region’s rich artistic, cultural, and historic heritage. Through a dynamic range of exhibitions, studios, lectures, and family programming, the museum provides visitors of all ages and interests an engaging educational experience. Collection highlights in local history include: Cretaceous period reptile material, an 18-foot-tall Ancient Bald Cypress trunk sub-fossil, Native American and Colonial period artifacts, Civil War artifacts from the Florence Stockade prison camp and Confederate Naval Yard at Mars Bluff, artifacts related to life and career of former FBI agent and Florence County native, Melvin Purvis, & fragments of the MK-6 atomic bomb which was accidentally dropped on the Mars Bluff community in 1958.
Florence Veterans Park
On November 11, 2008 – Veterans Day – dedicated its new Florence Veterans Park in a patriotic ceremony that included active and retired members from all branches of the military. The six-acre park sits behind the Florence Civic Center on land donated for this project by the estate of R.P. Byrd, a World War II veteran, and former South Carolina Representative Edward L. Young. Originally from the Ukraine, Palkovich is a life-long sculptor and a retired engineer for General Electric who resides in Florence. Since his retirement, Palkovich is committed full-time to his art. His work is successful in connecting viewers with his subjects, as seen below in the moving sculpture,
Florence Rail Trail
From the parking area, begin this gently sloping, paved, out-and-back, hiking/biking rail trail with a nature loop at the end. The main trail is about two miles and there are several other sections and connectors.
As you pass sweet gum, pine trees intermingled with honey suckle, and grape vines you may see birds, snakes, squirrels, and other wild life. After you cross the footbridge, the pavement ends and you can return the way you came, or turn right and make a steep descent onto a natural surface loop through the woods. Cross the zig-zag board walk, pass the spur to the parking area for McLeod Fitness Center (on the left) and return the way you came.
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Florence National Cemetery
Florence National Cemetery was established in 1865 around a series of trench graves containing the remains of Union soldiers who died while held captive in the town’s prison camp. During the final years of the war, the Confederacy held thousands of Union prisoners of war in hastily constructed stockades in northeast South Carolina. Prisoners suffered not only from their battlefield injuries, but also disease and inadequate sanitation, clothing, and food.
