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.
This page was last updated: October 24, 2025
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Town board meetings are held every 2nd and 4th Monday of the month at 6:00 p.m. at the Community Center located at 749 Central Avenue, Florence. Meeting agendas will be posted online no later than the Friday before the meeting. Agendas are also posted at the Florence Post Office, and the courthouse.
Minutes are posted after they are approved from the most recent meeting only. For copies of minutes prior to those posted online, please contact the Town Office.
The Annual Town Meeting is held the third Tuesday in April each year at 6:30 p.m. The Annual Town Meeting for 2026 will be held on Tuesday, April 21, 2026.
Town board minutes will be posted online after they are approved (i.e. the January minutes are approved at the February Town Board meeting, and will be posted here to the website after the February meeting). Only the most recent minutes are posted online. For copies of previous meeting minutes, please contact the Town of Florence Office. Please Note: The Annual Meeting Minutes are unapproved minutes. They will be approved at the 2024 Annual Town Meeting, which will be held on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. at the Town of Florence Community Center.
Please note that any current notices for Town of Florence Residents/Property Owners that do not fall in a different category will be posted here.
OPEN BOOK & BOARD OF REVIEW
Please note R&R Assessing is in the area and has begun the work for on the 2025 Assessments. The Open Book and BOR dates have been set. Visit the Taxes & Assessor Page of our website for details and complete information.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that at an election to be held in the Town of Florence, on Tuesday,
April 1, 2025, the following officers are to be elected to succeed the present incumbents listed. The term for these offices are for two years beginning on Tuesday, April 15, 2025.
OFFICE & INCUMBENT
Town Board Chairperson
Tim Bomberg
Town Board Supervisor #1
John Holbrook
Town Board Supervisor #2
Shane McLain
Clerk/Treasurer
Shelly VanPembrook
NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN, that the first day to circulate nomination papers is December 1, 2024, and the final day for filing nomination papers is 5:00 p.m. on
Tuesday, January 7, 2025, in the office of the town clerk.
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that if a primary is necessary, the primary will be held on Tuesday,
February 18, 2024. GIVEN, under my hand, done in the Town of Florence, on this 21st Day of November, 2024.
Agendas for upcoming Town Board Meetings are posted below. They are typically posted on the Thursday or Friday prior to the regularly scheduled Town Board Meeting (Monday).
Agenda
TOWN OF FLORENCE BOARD MEETING
Monday, October 27, at 6:00 p.m.
Florence Community Center located at 749 Central Avenue, Florence, WI
1.Meeting called to order
2.Pledge of Allegiance
3.Adoption of agenda
4.Communications from the floor (5 minutes per person, up to 30 minutes total)
5.Consent Agenda
All items listed on the consent agenda are considered to be routine, procedural, informational, self-explanatory or non-controversial in nature and will be enacted in one motion. There will be no discussion of these items unless removed from the Consent Agenda by a board member.
a.Approval of minutes of previous meeting held on October 13, 2025
b.Approval of operator license applications received
c.Fire Department Voucher Approval for bill October 14-31, 2025
6.Discussion and possible action with Tony from GFL regarding roads traveled and larger central location collection containers
7.Discussion and possible action #09-22-25 Ordinance Garbage and Recycling Rules & Regulations
8.Discussion and possible action regarding the addition of two Town Board Supervisor positions resulting in the creation of a five-person Town Board
9.Discussion and possible action regarding creating an ordinance calling for the referendum question to be placed on the ballot to switch from an elected to an appoint a clerk/treasurer
10.Discussion and possible action regarding legal opinion and use of Town property (parcel #10-1749-1) on Olive Avenue near the former Town garage (parcel #10-1749-11)”
11.Discussion and possible action Voucher Approval for bill payment October 14-31, 2025
13.Board member concerns, correspondence received, future agenda items
14.Discussion and possible action – Adjourn to Closed Session to discuss:
a.Legal options for current BOR court case pursuant to Wisconsin Statute §19.85(1)(a) Deliberating concerning a case which was the subject of any judicial or quasi-judicial trial or hearing before that governmental body
b.Employee Compensation pursuant to Wisconsin Statute §19.85(1) (c) Considering employment, promotion, compensation or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility
15.Discussion and possible action – Adjourn Closed Session and reconvene to Open Session to take action, if appropriate, on matters discussed in Closed Session
a.Legal options for current BOR case
b.Employee Compensation
16.Adjournment
Jessica Klumpp
Clerk/Treasurer
Note: If you have any special needs or require special accommodations in order to attend town board meetings, please call 715-528-3595 or write PO Box 247, Florence, WI 54121
This notice was posted at approximately 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 24, 2025 at the Town Office, Courthouse, Post Office and online at www.townofflorencewisconsin.com
Click here to sign up for Constant Contact to get reminders from the Town of Florence via SMS Text and e-mail regarding Elections, Town Roads and Garbage and Recycling.
Please Note: This is for Town of Florence residents and property owners. If you are in a different Township, you may not be able to complete this form. The easiest way to determine if you are Florence resident/property owner is to look at the physical fire number posted on your property. It will identify the Town that your property is in.
