1971 Map of Florence

About this map

Florence and its neighboring river cities are documented here during a period of significant mid-century expansion across the Tennessee River. The landscape is defined by the industrial and academic anchors of the region, including the sprawling campus of Florence State College and the specialized facilities of the National Fertilizer Development Center within the Muscle Shoals Reservation. Settlement patterns show established neighborhoods like East Florence and North Florence alongside newer residential developments such as Sherwood Forest and Alexander Heights. The river remains the central artery for the area, flowing past McFarland Park and around large landmasses like Sevenmile Island and Patton Island. Long-standing transportation corridors are well-defined, from the historic Natchez Trace Parkway to the industrial tracks of the Southern Railway and L & N RR, which served the local economy before the dominance of modern interstate travel.