"John Hamblock, W.D.L.F. Smith and myself took the contract of sawing white cedar for exportation and before finishing the said cargo the two former partners withdrew and I shipped the cargo on my own account. This lumber was shipped on the Florence E. Walton, Capt. Kane, during the month of April 1861."

Pioneer History of Coos and Curry Counties by Orvil Dodge (1898)

"The Florence Walton was wrecked on the coast between Coos Bay and Rogue River."

History of Oregon: 1848-1888 by Hubert Howe Bancroft (1888)

"In 1880 an Indian found a plank of driftwood that turned out to be the nameboard from the three-masted bark Florence, which had sunk offshore in a storm in November 1875. Someone leaned the ten-foot board against the general store, then nailed it above the door of a hotel, which was later designated as the post office. Thus the settlement was conveniently named Florence because there was a sign available with the name already on it."

She's Tricky Like Coyote by Lionel Youst (2005)

"Captain William A. Cox is one of the founders of Florence [Oregon], having owned the property and platted the site upon which that town later has grown to be one of the thriving and important commercial cities in Lane county, this state."

The Centennial History of Oregon: 1811-1912 by Joseph Gaston (1912)

"Florence [Oregon]. This little town is situated near the mouth of the Siuslaw [River] and was founded in 1876 by Duncan & Co., who established a cannery, and A.J. Moody, a store. In December 1883, a steamer drawing fifteen feet of water and carrying two hundred tons of freight entered the river and from this point carried away two hundred tons of salmon, thus proving beyond a peradventure the practicability of navigation spoke of above. There are also two stores, a hotel and a cannery, and a population of about two hundred."

Illustrated History of Lane County, Oregon by Albert G. Walling (1884)

"On July 7th [1880] there was created the precinct of Florence [Oregon]. All that portion of Richardson precinct lying west of the summit of the Coast Range of mountains; and the Florence hotel designated as the place of voting."

Illustrated History of Lane County, Oregon by Albert G. Walling (1884)

"I regret to report that Florence [Oregon], on the coast, was named not for the beautiful Italian city but for an early Lane County state senator, A.B. Florence. (Now that you know the truth, hold the secret tight lest our sophistication melt away, showing us up as strictly provincial types.)"

The Other Side of Oregon by Ralph Friedman (1993)

"Florence [Oregon] by the Siuslaw River is a fishing town and the trading point for framers of the small Sisulaw Valley. Formerly row boats and one lungers, boats powered by one-cylinder marine engines were used for valley transportation. Errands were run, children taken to school, and parents went to churches and sociables in boats, frequently powered by the winds or the tides. George Melvin Miller, brother of Joaquin Miller, the poet, helped develop the town. Florence holds and annual Rhododendron Festival. The Siuslaw River Bridge is another in the series carrying the highway over a difficult route."

Oregon: End of the Trail by State of Oregon Writer's Program (1940)

"Florence [Oregon], a Siuslaw River-mouth fishing town and a trading post for farmers of the narrow Siuslaw Valley. In spring and early summer, rhododendrons run riot over hills and lowlands and are celebrated in the showy Rhododendron Festival held the latter part of May."

Oregon for the Curious by Ralph Friedman (1972)

"The father south you travel on Highway 101, the more rural and sparesely populated the coast becomes. On the plus side, that means fewer crowds, little traffice, and rarely a line for anything. On the downside, of course, it means fewer choices in restaurants and lodging and fewer amenities when you do find a place to stay. The fact is that there is nothing very romantic about many of the communities straddling the southern portion of 101--but if you venture a few miles east or west, you might easily find yourselves someplace unexpectedly charming. Florence [Oregon] is just such a hidden gem..."

The Best Places to Kiss in the Northwest by Kate Chynoweth (2003)

"Florence is one of the few towns on the Oregon coast with historic character. Set on the banks of the Siuslaw River, it is filled with restored wooden commercial buildings that house restaurants and interesting shops."

Frommer's Oregon by Karl Samson (2004)

"Intersected by the deep, green Siuslaw River, Florence is surrounded by the beauty of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. The geography here--and for 50 miles south--is devoid of the trademark rugged Oregon coastal headlands. Instead, expansive, wind-sculpted sand dunes dominate the landscape..."

Best Places Northwest by Giselle Smith (2004)

"In 1957, Frank Herbert chartered a small plane and flew to Florence, Oregon, to write a magazine article about a research project being conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA had discovered a successful method of stabilizing sand dunes, planting poverty grasses on the crests of dunes to keep them from encroaching on roads and buildings. Experts were travelling to Florence from all over the world to see the project, since many areas were experiencing problems similar to those occurring in the Sahara Desert, where advancing sands were causing severe damage. Frank Herbert was very excited abou the article, which he titled "They Stopped the Moving Sands." He sent a detailed outline to his agent, Lurton Blassingame, along with photographs. The agent expressed only lukewarm interest and refused to send it out to publishers until it was reworked. Ultimately, Frank Herbert lost enthusiasm for the magazine article, and it was never published. It formed the beginning, however, of more than five years of intense research and writing that would culminate in Dune."

The Road to Dune by Frank Herbert, Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson (2006)

"Florence [Oregon] is home to the most photographed lighthouse in the US..."

Roadtripping USA by Caitlin Claire Vincent (2007)