[Source: Florence Reminder] -- The Arizona Heritage Alliance met Saturday in Florence, where the state's Heritage Fund has been put to some of its best uses. "We decided to spotlight historical downtown Florence and showcase what the Heritage Fund can do when utilized to its fullest potential," according to the fall 2006 Heritage Guardian, the newsletter for the Arizona Heritage Alliance. Jennifer Evans with the Florence Main Street Program was the local coordinator of this meeting...Florence has received $1,599,139 in Arizona Heritage Fund grants since 1991. The total investment in Florence's historic preservation projects is over $3,031,898. Bonnie Bariola, who has been directly involved in almost every Arizona Heritage Fund project in Florence, led the Alliance on a walking tour of 14 of the 16 buildings in Florence that have utilized these grant funds for restoration purposes. Buildings on the tour included:
- Florence/Silver King Hotel
- Popular Store/Mandell's Department Store (True Value Hardware/Russ & Cheryl Woodmansee)
- William Clarke House (Florence Reminder & Blade Tribune Office)
- Cuen House & Butcher Shop (Qwest Building/Langley Momentum LLC)
- First Nicholas Beer Hall (Lynn & Tom Smith Residence)
- Avenenti Tack Shop
- Brunenkant's City Bakery (Chamber of Commerce Office & Visitor Center/Town of Florence)
- Cosgrove/Nicholas/Aguilar Residence (Bill Coomer & Katie Montano residence)
- White Building
- 2nd Pinal County Courthouse
- Sam Kee/Jennie Peyton Weedin/Yeddo Leos Residence (Dodie & Wilbur Freeman Residence)
- Catholic Church of the Assumption
- Chapel of the Gila
- Jean Baptiste Michea Residence (Zoe & Jerry Ravert Residence)
[Note: To read the full article, click here. Photo of 2nd Pinal County Courthouse.]
