FLORENCE, a city of north-western Alabama, U.S.A., on the north bank of the Tennessee river, in the Muscle Shoals dis trict ; the county seat of Lauderdale county. It is on the Lee and the Jackson highways and is served by the Louisville and Nash ville and the Southern railways, and by river steamers. The pop ulation was 10,529 in 192o (22% negroes) and was 11,729 in 193o by the Federal census. Florence is in the fertile river valley, at the edge of the coal and iron region of the State. Just above it is the great Wilson dam, and across the river are the Government nitrate plants. The city has a number of manufacturing industries. It is the seat of a State normal school, established in 1872, the oldest normal school in the entire South. Florence was founded in 1818, and for several years was a commercial rival of Nashville. Among the early property holders were Andrew Jackson and James Madison. During the Civil War the town was raided sev eral times (on Feb. 8, April I1, May 26, and Dec. II, 1863), by the Federal forces. The city was chartered in 1889. It has a commission form of government.