| Florence, Texas is a small town located 30+ miles | | | | way to the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The |
| northwest of Austin on Farm Road 195, west of 35 in | | | | new 1 30 Toll Road is slated to go all the way to |
| Williamson County, in the Austin-Round Rock metro | | | | Seguin, Texas. The Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport |
| area. The closest cities are Georgetown (13 miles), | | | | is located in Killeen, Texas, adjacent to Fort Hood, and |
| Andice, Briggs, Liberty Hill, Ding Dong, Jarrell & Salado. | | | | offers direct, non-stop air access to Dallas / Fort |
| The military town of Killeen is approx. 13 miles away in | | | | Worth, Houston and Atlanta airports. |
| Bell County. A 340 square mile installation (217,337 | | | | Restaurants: The old Andice General Store on FM 970 |
| acres), Fort Hood is the only post in the United States | | | | (6500 FM 970), east of 183 and south of Florence is a |
| capable of stationing and training two Armored | | | | fun place for burgers, baskets & sandwiches. Quaint |
| Divisions. Fort Hood is "The Army's Premier Installation | | | | looking with its old wood plank floors it is also a gas |
| to train and deploy heavy forces." Many military people | | | | station and convenience store (254) 793-3971. Andice |
| choose Florence as a town near Killeen yet on the | | | | General Store has a great collection of hard to find |
| way to Austin. Settled in the early 1850s, it was | | | | glass bottled soft drinks- blue cream soda, Big Red, |
| originally known as Brooksville. It became known as | | | | several root beers, etc. Of note too is the Andice Post |
| Florence by 1857, when the first post office was | | | | Office, which looks like a lil' old house (it is). There is a |
| established. Many turn of the century old homes and | | | | seasonal Farmer's Market across from the Andice |
| downtown buildings survive and provide much | | | | General Store. |
| architectural interest. The estimated population, in 2003, | | | | On 195 just east of Florence, between IH 35 & |
| was 1,110. Water is provided by Chisholm Trail Special | | | | Florence (12061 State Highway 195) is D Boone's |
| Utility District located at 851 FM 970 Florence, Texas | | | | Country Store. D Boone's offers great down home |
| 76527. The Florence Independent School District has | | | | eating- pot roast, fried okra, hand-breaded livers & |
| ratings of recognized and acceptable. Florence ISD is | | | | gizzards (254) 793-2110. In town on 195 are Mano's |
| sought after because it is small and therefore provides | | | | Mexican Food (103 N Patterson Ave., aka 195) (254) |
| some opportunities perhaps not seen in large districts. | | | | 793-3870 and the newly remodeled El Charrito |
| Stone quarries abound in the area yielding great | | | | Mexican Restaurant (100 E Bennet St) 254-793-3127. |
| products at great prices. The architectural stone | | | | Charrito faces the Post Office on Bennet but it also is |
| specialists at Continental Cut Stone on County Road | | | | really on 195 or N. Patterson. |
| 219 in Florence cut stone from Leuders, Texas into | | | | The Rattlesnake Inn at 6060 Hwy 195 is Williamson |
| many architectural home components. | | | | County's oldest Honky Tonk. Its inception was the day |
| Transportation: The new 1 30 Toll Road begins just off | | | | after Prohibition was lifted in 1933. |
| 195 east of Florence. Currently, 1 30 extends all the | | | | |