Welcome to the Town of Florence Online!
Helpful Community Links
Fun Facts about the Town
- Population (at 2010 census) was 2487
- Charles White Whittlesey, Medal of Honor recipient in World War I, was born in Florence.
- The Town of Florence maintains 119.21 miles of roads and streets--64.41 miles are paved road and 54.35 miles are gravel.
- Florence is the County seat for Florence County.
Click on the links below to be directed to these websites:
A Little History of the Town. . .
Town Office
From the Heritage of Iron & Timber 1880-1980
Published for Florence County, Wisconsin, 1980
The Townsite of Florence is Laid Out
In 1879 Mr. VanDyke and Mr. Hagerman, financiers, purchased a three-fourths interest, arranged for railroad extension because of the good work done in this mining region by Mr. N.P. Hulst and called the mine in Florence in honor of Mrs. Florence Hulst, his wife. This name was first applied to the iron mine, then to the town and county. The following is an account of the letter sent to Mrs. Florence Hulst on December 15, 1879 by Mr. J.J. Hagerman President of the Menominee Mining company:
Mrs. Hulst -- The time is come when we must give a name to the new town in Wisconsin at the end of the Railroad now building, and to the new mine in the vicinity, now called the Eagle, but which name we do not wish to keep, as there is already an Eagle P.O. in Wisconsin. The Company owns all the land around the lake, where the town will be located. It will be a lively town. We shall put an anti-whiskey clause in all deeds and we expect it will be as much noted for its temperance and morality as for its -- well, anything the future may develop. We all wish to call the new town and the mine FLORENCE, in honor of the first white woman who had courage enough to settle (for a while) in that rugged country. I mean the first white woman known to us.
Will you permit your name to be used?
Thus the town and mine had been given a name, a very prim and proper name!
Because of the mine people rushed into the region and by 1880 Mr. Fisher laid out the townsite, putting a number of lots upon the market. He said he would put the lots in at government prices selling the ordinary lots from $100.00 while the corners sold for $150.00.
In sixty days Mr. Fisher had sold $60,000 worth of realty. The population at this time was 50 people. In a short time a blast furnace was put up as was a foundry, five coal kilns, a large sawmill and a cheese factory.
Notices for the Town of Florence
The Town of Florence Office is located at 749 Central Avenue. It is in the corner of the Community Center building. The mailing address for the Town of Florence is P.O. Box 247; Florence, WI 54121.
Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to noon and 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Phone Number: 715-528-3595
Fax Number: 715-528-3591
Shelly VanPembrook, Clerk/Treasurer
svanpembrook@wppienergy.orgjklumpp@wppienergy.orgClick on Shelly's name or Jessica's name to e-mail them.
This page was last updated: March 20, 2020
Town of Florence, Wisconsin
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Florence County was recently featured on Discover Wisconsin
You can watch the video with the following link:
2020 Election Dates & 2020 Special Elections Congressional District 7 Dates:
♦February 18 (Spring Primary)
February 18 (Spring Primary)♦February 18 (Special Election Congressional District 7 Primary held in conjunction with Spring Primary)
February 18 (Special Election Congressional District 7 Primary held in conjunction with Spring Primary) ♦April 7 (Spring Election)
April 7 (Spring Election)♦May 12 (Special Election Congressional District 7 Election)
May 12 (Special Election Congressional District 7 Election)♦August 11 (Partisan Primary)
August 11 (Partisan Primary)♦November 3 (General Election)
November 3 (General Election)Voter Registration Applications and Absentee Ballot Applications can be found on the Town website. The Community Center is the polling place for the Town of Florence. Polling place hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the day of the election.
A request for an Absentee Ballot allows you to vote prior to election day. In most cases, the last day ballots can be mailed out is the Thursday before an election, but you may absentee vote at the clerk’s office by Absentee Ballot up until 5:00 p.m. on the Friday preceding the election. Contact the Town of Florence Office for more information and/or to request an absentee ballot.
2020 US Census
2020 US Census data is used to allocate Federal funding, and will also to determine how many seats in the US House of Representatives each state will have. People that have multiple residences should be recording their 2020 US Census form at the location they spend the most time throughout the year. Please be sure to fill out your Census form either online by phone or by mail to ensure a complete and accurate 2020 US Census count for Florence County. Please go to 2020census.gov for more information.
The below links are to US Census Bureau Public service announcements that provide a short video providing more information regarding the 2020 US Census.
What Is the 2020 Census?
This PSA explains what the 2020 Census is, why it’s written in the U.S. Constitution, and why it’s important. https://2020census.gov/en/partners/psa-toolkit/what-is.html
Is My 2020 Census Data Safe?
This PSA teaches viewers about how census data is private, protected by law, and stored securely.
How Does the 2020 Census Affect Representation?
This PSA explains how census data will affect congressional representation in the U.S. House of Representatives. https://2020census.gov/en/partners/psa-toolkit/representation.html
How Will 2020 Census Data Be Used?
This PSA explains how census data helps inform funding for things that impact your community.
Do you have a P.O. Box?
The 2020 US Census is upon us, with many people already receiving their invite to participate in the 2020 US Census. For people that have Post Office (PO) Boxes, you will not receive the 2020 US Census invitation. If you have a PO box or do not receive the 2020 Census invitation please go to the link below and then click on the link “If you do not have a Census ID, click here” to fill out your 2020 US Census form, and ensure a complete and accurate count for Florence County!
Voters strongly encouraged to absentee vote by mail
[FLORENCE, WI] – Because of the COVID-19, voters are strongly urged to act now to vote absentee for the April 7 Spring Election and Presidential Preference Primary. The Wisconsin Elections Commission encourages all Wisconsin voters who want to vote in the April 7 election to request an absentee ballot by mail.
“Polls will be open for those who need them on Election Day, but most voters should vote absentee for this election,” said VanPembrook. “For that to happen, you should request an absentee ballot as soon as possible.”
How to Request an Absentee Ballot
There are multiple ways to request an absentee ballot in Wisconsin, which are listed below. It is important to note that the contact information on the list below for numbers 2, 3, and 4 is specific contact information for the Town of Florence. If you live in a different municipality, you will need to contact your clerk directly to receive an absentee ballot.
Absentee Voting by Mail:
2.)Voters may also request a ballot by sending an e-mail to the Town of Florence office. The e-mail address is svanpembrook@wppienergy.org.
Voters may also request a ballot by sending an e-mail to the Town of Florence office. The e-mail address is svanpembrook@wppienergy.org. 3.)Voters can send something in writing to the Town of Florence by dropping it off at the Town of Florence Office located at 749 Central Ave or by mailing it to the Town of Florence at P.O. Box 247; Florence, WI 54121.
Voters can send something in writing to the Town of Florence by dropping it off at the Town of Florence Office located at 749 Central Ave or by mailing it to the Town of Florence at P.O. Box 247; Florence, WI 54121.4.)Voters can fax a request for an absentee ballot by sending the fax to 715-528-3591.
Voters can fax a request for an absentee ballot by sending the fax to 715-528-3591.What information does an absentee request by mail need to have? In order to receive a ballot, the voter needs to have a request on file that states:
-Voter’s name
Voter’s name-Voter’s registered voting address
Voter’s registered voting address-Where the Voter wants the ballot mailed to
Where the Voter wants the ballot mailed to-What elections the voter wants to receive the ballot for—i.e. this election, all elections in 2020, or as an indefinitely confined voter to receive every ballot from the date of the request onward, etc.
What elections the voter wants to receive the ballot for—i.e. this election, all elections in 2020, or as an indefinitely confined voter to receive every ballot from the date of the request onward, etc.-Photo ID – a copy of the voter’s photo ID must be on file before an absentee ballot can be mailed to the voter. If the voter has voted by mail as an absentee in the past, the ID may already be on file. Otherwise a copy of the photo ID must be included with the absentee request. Indefinitely confined voters, military voters and permanent overseas voters are exempt from needing to provide a photo ID for an absentee request.
Photo ID – a copy of the voter’s photo ID must be on file before an absentee ballot can be mailed to the voter. If the voter has voted by mail as an absentee in the past, the ID may already be on file. Otherwise a copy of the photo ID must be included with the absentee request. Indefinitely confined voters, military voters and permanent overseas voters are exempt from needing to provide a photo ID for an absentee request.In-person Absentee Voting:
For the health and safety of the voters, voters are discouraged from in-person absentee voting. However, voters who are unable to absentee vote by mail can vote in-person via absentee ballot at the Town of Florence office during regular office hours, but voters are asked to call ahead to make an appointment at 715-528-3595. In-person voting ends on the Friday before the election (April 3rd for the spring election) at 5:00 p.m. Voters will need to bring a valid Photo ID to be able to vote in-person.
Absentee Voting Deadlines:
Thursday, April 2 at 5:00 p.m. is the latest that the clerk can mail ballots to regular absentee voters.
Friday, April 3 at 5:00 p.m. is the latest that the clerk can mail ballots to indefinitely confined absentee voters (those voters who are indefinitely confined because of age, illness, infirmity or disability)
Friday, April 3 at 5:00 p.m. is the latest that a voter can absentee vote in-person at the clerk’s office
Tuesday, April 7 at 8:00 p.m. All absentee ballots must be received at the polling place no later than 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
Voters are encouraged to vote their ballot and return it as soon as possible as mailing time can take up to a week or more for the ballot to be received. If voters have any questions, please contact the Town of Florence Office at 715-528-3595.
