On the cracked pavement of Main Street resides Florence's cherished, faded adobe buildings, most of which are in decent shape. A few brick shops stand between the preserved walls, connecting the uninhabited commercial buildings. Few school children and locals stroll the streets, with even fewer stores stay open for business (including saloons, cafes and mom-and-pop shops) past 4 p.m.

Walking through Florence may not have the same old western town feeling that Tombstone provides, but residents appear to be doing something right.

It was only two years ago that True West magazine first recognized Florence as an old west city. Before that, they had been unknown.

"They didn't even know we existed," said Lynn Smith, chairwoman of the collection management committee at the Pinal County Historical Museum in Florence. "We wanted to be known."

So Smith and co-workers stepped up. They applied for and received criteria from True West (the same information as the rest of the cities that apply) and Smith and her helpers put together a 36-page application. They were listed the no. 4 western town that year.

With a new and improved lengthy application of anecdotes and photos of artifacts and featured historic charms, and the restoration of numerous buildings, Florence was bumped up the list to No. 2 this year. Smith and sister Pat Faux went through the entire Pinal County Historic Museum and took pictures of each artifact: nooses used to hang prisoners from the 1800s, preserved furniture carved out of cacti, the window from the shootout at the Tunnel Saloon and more.

"To be second to Virginia City, is fabulous," Smith said. "We're in good company to be up there with them. It's hard to compete with somebody who has a railroad, and they have even restored it. I'm just thrilled we got as close to them as we did."

It was only their second attempt. As the sixth oldest town in Arizona, Florence finally received the recognition residents feel they deserve.

Florence's western town peaked in the 1870s when wagonloads of silver ore from the Silver King Mine passed through, with single men to spend their time and money. Local cowboys would join them in the 18 established saloons that Florence had at that time, to give the men the pleasure to drink, gamble and enjoy female companionship.

Many of the adobes from that time still stand today. Smith's current home is a combination of two adobe saloons that were connected, and serve as a historic site today.

Smith said they had a lot to work with, as with most old cities. The city of Florence took on four projects within the last two years. The city has slowly restored bits and pieces each year to both courthouses: the old Pinal Courthouse from 1890, and the 1870s courthouse, which is known as McFarland State Park today.

Neither courthouse is used today, but the city is proud of its original buildings and works hard to keep them standing, said Smith. McFarland State Park is one of the last standing adobe commercial buildings. Though it was closed in the last year, this did not stop Florence from preserving the building. They used money that had been put aside, and continued the upkeep even after it had been closed.

Bob Boze Bell, of True West magazine said that Florence is benefited by their original architecture, as it distinguishes the city from others, like Tombstone.

"[Florence doesn't] have the legend that Tombstone has but we don't look at it that way," Boze Bell said. "Architecture is important and in Arizona it is acknowledged because so many buildings are torn down."

"If you lose an anchor, you've lost a street," Smith said, noting the importance of preserving any historic district.

The city has future plans to reopen both courthouses as offices for city officials and museums for the public.

Another major landmark of Florence has always been the Silver King Hotel, standing since 1876. The town of Florence took it upon itself to cover the costs of preservation. The town bought the hotel, and currently rents it out to small businesses for a reasonable amount. Grants and federal funds that the hotel had received for repairs were not enough, nor could the hotel follow through with their end of the deal—matching the donors.

The exterior of the building continues to represent the old west with its original brick and green wooden trim.

Florence didn't stop there. Rather than taking away from the city's western feel, they used their own resources to bring back what they have lost over the years that they were unable to maintain.

The old Florence High School was condemned roughly ten years ago. Windows and doors were boarded up, vandalism was committed throughout the interior and exterior of the schoolhouse walls and residents were embarrassed, Smith said.
Recently, the town put a bond up and collected money. The old western school has detailed wooden trims, windows and frames from when the school was originally built.

Boze Bell insists, "you cannot compare," Tombstone and Florence. He said it's about what you do with your city and how you take care of it. Western towns are rated and judged based on how they are maintained.

The list gave Tombstone a wake up call. The Tombstone Chamber of Commerce is working on new ways to advertise—mainly through tours for travel writers.

According to Smith, the town of Florence does not have the funds to advertise with True West magazine, or other publications.

Smith recalled three instances at most where the town had advertised in True West magazine. "We just don't have the budget. We just can't afford it."

Tombstone may have the reenactments of shoot outs, or the silver mines, but if the city wants to be on True West's list, it needs to do what the magazine asks: prove that it is a preserved and representative historic town. It has nothing to do with advertising despite what some may say.

"We don't know if we'll have enough to show and change next year. It's up to the editors sitting around the table making the decision," Smith said.