Florence Kentucky Online

Picture of the Day: Houston Road

Today's Picture of the Day takes a look at another one of those areas in Florence that has completely changed over the years, the Houston Road area. Not too long ago (well, maybe it was a long time ago), Houston Road was a small road that you could use to escape Florence traffic and get from the Turfway Road area to the Rt. 18 area. It was a great way to get around the traffic created by Mall Road.

Today, the Houston Road area is the center of retail and restaurant activity in Florence. The road has grown by leaps and bounds over the years. This area is the home to many major retailers, top restaurants and office buildings. You can find just about anything you need on Houston Road now and the area continues to grow and expand. There is a project in the works to connect the Houston Road area with the Oakbrook neighborhood which will ease some of the traffic at the top of Houston Road and Rt. 18 and allow residents easier access to the area.

Today's Boone County News:

Farmer's Market officially opens Saturday

Florence resident named Gaines Scholar

In The Service: Andrew M. Knaley

Long jumpers have Jags poised for success

Fiscal courts confer on NKY priorities

Student art sought for competition

Eighth graders at St. Joe bring money and donations to Rose Garden Mission

Xavier athlete, Florence native honored

Florence Freedom: Tryout pays off for Burke

Florence History: Dixie Motor Court

As you pass by this unassuming old apartment building on US 25 between Florence and Richwood, you might not immediately think of it as a piece of Florence history. This old building sits on a part of US 25 that is now populated with many different types of businesses and does not really seem like a historical part of town.

Back in the old days, before there was an I-75 going through Florence, US 25 was the main highway through town. Travelers passing through the area had to use US 25 to travel through the area and it was the home of many restaurants and hotels along its route. This particular old building was one of those historic Florence establishments. (click on the image for a larger view)

This building was once the home of the Dixie Motor Court. The Dixie Motor Court was a popular motel and restaurant along the US 25 corridor through Florence and Boone County. The Dixie Motor Court was owned by the Ely family who lived in the house that was next door to the motel and restaurant. The sign in front of the restaurant showed the restaurant's specialties of sandwiches and short orders.

So many historical places from our area's past are either gone or have changed so much over the years that they are hard to recognize. The next time you travel down US 25, look for this hidden piece of Boone County history along the way.

Today's Boone County News:

Olivia Henderson is the Remke Student of the Week

Walton Verona school starting food pantry

Library continues to offer free concerts

Christmas comes early for Rebels baseball team

Making a mark with sports graphics

Ryle High School Spring Musical

Woman helps injured birds

New Freedom Manager hopes for fast start

Marine Band to play concert at Ryle High School

Boone County School District to walk for Autism Speaks

Boone County wins Doc Morris tourney

Introducing Florence KY Online!

Welcome to florencekyonline.com. The purpose of this site is to celebrate life in Florence Kentucky and the surrounding communities in Boone County. Florence is a place with a rich history and is a community that people love to call home. It is a place that the residents love and is the center of life in Boone County. This website will bring you the sights, sounds, people, events, businesses and news of Florence and all of the other communities in Boone County. The site is already loaded with great Florence images and information, so take a few minutes to look around and enjoy.

It is our hope to build a site that becomes the place to go to get information about life in Florence and Boone County, to see images of this great community and to stay up to date on what is happening there. Be sure to sign up for daily Florence Ky Online e-mail updates so you can stay in touch with what's happening here.

In addition to great images and information, FlorenceKYOnline.com has also created a merchandise shop featuring unique apparel and gifts with original Florence and Boone County themes and designs. Click on the FlorenceKyOnline Shop link to the right to see all of the great Florence merchandise and show your Florence pride to everyone!

We know it will become a place to share information, learn about this great community and a place for those who love this area to gather and celebrate life in Florence Kentucky!

Be seen on Florence Ky Online!

FlorenceKyOnline.com is a great way to promote your Florence or Boone County business. FlorenceKyOnline.com is dedicated to all that makes life here great and having your business featured here will let the readers of FlorenceKyOnlne.com know to support you and your commitment to the community. Get your logo on FlorenceKyOnline today! If you would like more information, please contact us via e-mail

Picture of the Day: Florence Kentucky

Today's Picture of the day is a shot from the Champion Window Field area looking up I-75 at Florence, Kentucky. This is the view that most travelers experience when they are traveling northbound on I-75 as they enter Florence. In the distance you see our most famous landmark, the Florence Y'all water tower and the Dream Street area. This image takes a simple look at our city from the eyes of those who don't live here, but travel past our area.

Today's Boone County News:

Seniors get driving tips at May 16 seminar

Boone schools get clean bus grant

Walton resident in real life "League of Their Own"

Students, landscapers team up

Boone libraries offering car manuals online

Hospital announce new name

Picture of the Day: Main Street Florence

Today's picture of the day is a beautiful shot of the Main Street area in downtown Florence. The Main Street area is the quiet, historical center of old Florence. Along this area you will find churches, businesses, residences and historic buildings. The area has changed a great deal over the years. It is hard to imagine, in today's Florence, that this was the center of all activity in our great city many years ago. Before the interstates, the Mall Roads and the Houston Roads, this was the center of activity in Florence.

This old image from the NKY Views website gives you a great look at the area as it was a very long time ago. This image shows this same portion of the Main Street area as it was in 1910. (click on the image for a larger view)

If you look closely at the picture, you will see that it looks somewhat familiar. You can see the writing describing the area as Stringtown on the Pike. This is another great example of Florence past and Florence present. Some of the history is still there, but much has changed as well.

Today's Boone County News:

Arboretum host walks

Richwood Walgreen's on hold

Home may stay until next March

Volleyball deadline extended

Camp Ernst Y adds programs

Plans proceed for Senior's apartments

Richwood development taking shape

Freedom seek National Anthem singers

Boone offers junk disposal

Today's Picture of the Day is of the World of Sports Par Three golf course in the heart of Florence. The World of Sports (or World of Golf as it used to be known) course has been a Florence favorite for decades. The course can be seen from I-75 and stretches back to the Houston Road area. It has been a favorite of Florence golfers for a long time, providing a quick, inexpensive way to get in a game of golf.

The complex has also featured many other things over the years. The miniature golf course is a familiar Florence landmark. The complex has also had fitness equipment, racquetball courts and beach volleyball courts over the course of its history. The complex is currently undergoing some major changes and will transform into a more modern facility in the years to come.

Today's Boone County News:

Horseshoe leagues forming at Boone Woods

St. Joseph kindergarten class in Walton learns for a cause

Walton-Verona hosts basketball camp

Golf Ranch offers free skills sharpening

Ryle grad is hitter of the week

Boone County set to balance budget

Everyone knows the image of the famous Florence Y'all water tower on Mall Road, right off of I-75. Thousands of I-75 travelers pass the famous landmark each day and it has become a well-known sight and the key identifier of the Florence community.

Near Florence Elementary, off of Rt. 18 is another Florence water tower that is not quite as well known as its big brother near the interstate. This water tower is much smaller, simpler in design and more secluded inside the community. This water tower still features the old City of Florence logo on it. This tower can be seen as you travel along Rt. 18 in Florence and is in close proximity to Boone County High School, Florence Elementary and the Main Street area. Known to those in the community, but lesser known to those outside, this water tower will always get less publicity than it's big brother down the road.

Today's Boone County News:

Florence Police host memorabilia show

DHL Express returning

Last day, graduations set

Foreclosures down a bit in Boone

Tuesday Florence meeting canceled

Former Florence Freedom player makes Mariners team

Today's Picture of the Day is of Boone County High School on Rt. 18 in Florence. Founded in 1955, Boone County High School has been a landmark in Florence for over 50 years. The school has been a treasured piece of the memories of the many who attended and graduated from the school. The school has formed an alumni association that looks to connect the many people who called Boone County High School home over the years.

The school has been known over the years for its sports successes, especially on the football field. The high school lays claim to an alum who became the MVP in the NFL, Shaun Alexander, who was the best of many great running backs to play football for the Rebels over the years.

The school has changed a great deal over the years. The rapid growth of the Florence area has led to the addition of several new buildings and facilities at the campus. In this photo, you can see what the school looked like in 1977, right before the county's incredible growth really took off.(photo credit: Kenton County Library)

Today's Boone County News:

Boone County School briefs

Road projects ready to roll

Help clean up Boone County

Rebels, Dixie split DH

General Growth's bankruptcy may let rivals buy malls

Chamber job fair expanding

Today's Picture of the Day is Champion Window Field, the home of the Florence Freedom baseball team. Champion Window field is a great symbol of the growth that has taken place in Florence. Those of us who grew up in Florence would have never dreamed that their would be a professional sports team and a facility like this in the city of Florence. All summer long, the Freedom games are a great place for inexpensive family fun and a great place for the people of the community to gather.

The playing surface at Champion Window Field is undergoing a major renovation that will make the venue better for baseball and will allow it to host other types of events when the Freedom are not playing. The stadium is easily visible from I-75 and is a great symbol of the growth of the city to those who pass by each day.

Today's Boone County News:

Big Bone landmark status celebrated

Ryle still owns 9th Region

Boone hosts Spring cleanup

Allison Long is Remke Student Achiever for April 19

WVHS student accepted to Gatton Academy of Math and Science

Union hires events coordinator

Tea Partiers land in Burlington

Two Brent Spence Bridges?

Today's Picture of the Day takes us one more time through the Burlington area to the Boone County Fairgrounds. Each year in early August this area becomes the center of life in the county as the Boone County Fair gets underway. The fair is a tradition like no other in Boone County. The fair is a celebration of the agricultural and farming roots of the area and is a great place for residents to gather each summer to get reacquainted and have a good time.

The fair is famous for the great food you can sample and the fun carnival rides for the younger generation. Some of the more famous events at the fair are the Tractor Pull, Miss Boone County Pageant, Little Miss and Mr. Boone County, the Girls and Boys baby shows, livestock and horticultural shows, and the famous Pig Scramble. You didn't really grow up in Boone County if you didn't participate in catching the greased pig as a child!

It won't be long before the people of Boone County gather at the Fairgrounds once more and celebrate the rich history of the county and all the things that make Boone County what it is.

Picture of the Day: World of Sports

Today's Picture of the Day is of the World of Sports Par Three golf course in the heart of Florence. The World of Sports (or World of Golf as it used to be known) course has been a Florence favorite for decades. The course can be seen from I-75 and stretches back to the Houston Road area. It has been a favorite of Florence golfers for a long time, providing a quick, inexpensive way to get in a game of golf.

The complex has also featured many other things over the years. The miniature golf course is a familiar Florence landmark. The complex has also had fitness equipment, racquetball courts and beach volleyball courts over the course of its history. The complex is currently undergoing some major changes and will transform into a more modern facility in the years to come.

Today's Boone County News:

Horseshoe leagues forming at Boone Woods

St. Joseph kindergarten class in Walton learns for a cause

Walton-Verona hosts basketball camp

Golf Ranch offers free skills sharpening

Ryle grad is hitter of the week

Boone County set to balance budget

Picture of the Day: The lesser known Water Tower

Everyone knows the image of the famous Florence Y'all water tower on Mall Road, right off of I-75. Thousands of I-75 travelers pass the famous landmark each day and it has become a well-known sight and the key identifier of the Florence community.

Near Florence Elementary, off of Rt. 18 is another Florence water tower that is not quite as well known as its big brother near the interstate. This water tower is much smaller, simpler in design and more secluded inside the community. This water tower still features the old City of Florence logo on it. This tower can be seen as you travel along Rt. 18 in Florence and is in close proximity to Boone County High School, Florence Elementary and the Main Street area. Known to those in the community, but lesser known to those outside, this water tower will always get less publicity than it's big brother down the road.

Today's Boone County News:

Florence Police host memorabilia show

DHL Express returning

Last day, graduations set

Foreclosures down a bit in Boone

Tuesday Florence meeting canceled

Former Florence Freedom player makes Mariners team

Picture of the Day: Boone County High School

Today's Picture of the Day is of Boone County High School on Rt. 18 in Florence. Founded in 1955, Boone County High School has been a landmark in Florence for over 50 years. The school has been a treasured piece of the memories of the many who attended and graduated from the school. The school has formed an alumni association that looks to connect the many people who called Boone County High School home over the years.

The school has been known over the years for its sports successes, especially on the football field. The high school lays claim to an alum who became the MVP in the NFL, Shaun Alexander, who was the best of many great running backs to play football for the Rebels over the years.

The school has changed a great deal over the years. The rapid growth of the Florence area has led to the addition of several new buildings and facilities at the campus. In this photo, you can see what the school looked like in 1977, right before the county's incredible growth really took off.(photo credit: Kenton County Library)

Today's Boone County News:

Boone County School briefs

Road projects ready to roll

Help clean up Boone County

Rebels, Dixie split DH

General Growth's bankruptcy may let rivals buy malls

Chamber job fair expanding

Picture of the Day: Champion Window Field

Today's Picture of the Day is Champion Window Field, the home of the Florence Freedom baseball team. Champion Window field is a great symbol of the growth that has taken place in Florence. Those of us who grew up in Florence would have never dreamed that their would be a professional sports team and a facility like this in the city of Florence. All summer long, the Freedom games are a great place for inexpensive family fun and a great place for the people of the community to gather.

The playing surface at Champion Window Field is undergoing a major renovation that will make the venue better for baseball and will allow it to host other types of events when the Freedom are not playing. The stadium is easily visible from I-75 and is a great symbol of the growth of the city to those who pass by each day.

Today's Boone County News:

Big Bone landmark status celebrated

Ryle still owns 9th Region

Boone hosts Spring cleanup

Allison Long is Remke Student Achiever for April 19

WVHS student accepted to Gatton Academy of Math and Science

Union hires events coordinator

Tea Partiers land in Burlington

Two Brent Spence Bridges?

Picture of the Day: Boone County Fairgrounds

Today's Picture of the Day takes us one more time through the Burlington area to the Boone County Fairgrounds. Each year in early August this area becomes the center of life in the county as the Boone County Fair gets underway. The fair is a tradition like no other in Boone County. The fair is a celebration of the agricultural and farming roots of the area and is a great place for residents to gather each summer to get reacquainted and have a good time.

The fair is famous for the great food you can sample and the fun carnival rides for the younger generation. Some of the more famous events at the fair are the Tractor Pull, Miss Boone County Pageant, Little Miss and Mr. Boone County, the Girls and Boys baby shows, livestock and horticultural shows, and the famous Pig Scramble. You didn't really grow up in Boone County if you didn't participate in catching the greased pig as a child!

It won't be long before the people of Boone County gather at the Fairgrounds once more and celebrate the rich history of the county and all the things that make Boone County what it is.