History

The town of New Florence stands on section 23, township 48, range 5, and is situated in the eastern part of the Danville township, Montgomery County, Missouri. Along with this legal description  comes the fact that two main highways of our County and State intersect in New Florence, this being Interstate 70 and Highway 19, and thus earning New Florence the title of "Crossroads of East Central Missouri." Coupled with a strategic location, the small town atmosphere of New Florence enhances its appeal. The warmth, friendliness, and security associated with small-town living, along with down-home neighborliness, make New Florence an ideal spot in which to live and raise a family. 

New Florence was incorporated as a town on August 2, 1879, and is still governed by a Mayor and four members of the Board of Aldermen. In recent years, New Florence has been concentrating on upgrading and expanding the City to promote planned and orderly growth.

New Florence was laid out in 1857 by Hon. E. A. Lewis. The land was formerly owned by Mr. Mortimer McIlhaney, but was sold to Judge Lewis. At first, it was called Florence, after the daughter of Judge Lewis, and was so platted and recorded, but it was discovered that there was a town of the same name in Morgan County, this State, and so by act of the Legislature was changed to New Florence. 

The first home in town was a dwelling built by James Wood and stood in the western part of town. It was a small one-story frame. Mr. Wood's was the first family in town. The first storehouse was built opposite the depot in 1856. 

The depot building was erected soon after Wood's house, and Nathaniel Patton was the first station agent, and a Mr. Van Orden the second. The post office was established in 1857, and kept in a little confectionery store run by Duncan Hughes. Nathanel Patton built the first hotel, opposite the depot, in about 1858. The first schoolhouse was built in 1859 and stood on the site of the present academy building. It is now used as a storehouse on the south side of the railroad. 

In 1861, the town numbered about a dozen houses, nearly all of which stood on the south side of the track. In the fall of this year, a fire broke out and consumed all of the important buildings of the place but four.

In December 1861, or about January 2, 1862, a company of the Third Iowa Infantry, commanded by Captain Herron, was sent into New Florence. This was after the road had been torn up by the Confederates, and while the Tenth Missouri and Eighty-first were at High Hill and Danville.  For a time, the soldiers were quartered in the schoolhouse. Other detachments of the Federal troops and militia were here from time to time during the Civil War. 

The most notable incident in the history of New Florence during the troubles of the Civil War was the raid of Bill Anderson and his band upon the place, in October 1864, and the burning of the depot.  In the year 1862 Messrs, Hunter, Ellis, and Powell built a store, but with this exception, there was but little other improvement in the place during the war. Soon after, the place took a fresh start and improved very fairly for a year or so. In 1869, there were but three or four houses north of the track, and the population of the village did not exceed 200. Some time in 1866, a company built a frame building, which was used as an academy. The first school in this building had 200 scholars. The school was a very good one, but in time, other schools were established, the attendance fell off, and it closed in 1868. In 1869-70, Prof. Carl Vincent had charge, but in the latter he, too, closed the school, and thereafter the building was not occupied except by Good Templars and for lectures, etc.

In 1870-71, the public school building was put up for sale. The citizens voted to withdraw the funds which had been previously given to the academy and build the new schoolhouse, which is a two-storyand stood north of the track. The Masonic lodge room was built on the second story. This building was used until 1882-83, when the academy building was rented for school purposes. 

In April 1884, the academy building was purchased by the school district of T. J. Powell for $1,500.00.  The building is now the second-best schoolhouse in the county. The first principal was W.H. Fields, with an assistant, Miss Effie Davis. 

It was during these years, 1872 and 1873, that New Florence had its "Boom". The principal houses in the place were built then. A good hotel had been built and opened in the fall of 1869 by Albert Fullington. The Montgomery County Fair Association was formed here in 1866, and gave several exhibitions. It died about 1869, and the grounds and other property were purchased by Mr. Jacob See, its leading member and president.