Florence, SC (FLO)

805 East Day Street
Florence, SC 29506

Station Hours

Annual Ticket Revenue (FY 2023): $3,407,365
Annual Station Ridership (FY 2023): 34,165

• Ownerships
• Routes Served
• Contact
• Local Community Links

• Facility Ownership: McLeod Regional Medical Center of the Pee Dee, Inc.
• Parking Lot Ownership: McLeod Regional Medical Center of the Pee Dee, Inc.
• Platform Ownership: CSX Transportation
• Track Ownership: CSX Transportation

• Palmetto
• Silver Meteor

Todd Stennis
Regional Contact
governmentaffairsnol@amtrak.com
For information about Amtrak fares and schedules, please visit Amtrak.com or call 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245).

• City of Florence
• Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority Buses
• Florence County Museum
• South Carolina Pecan Festival

The Amtrak station in Florence was constructed in 1996 by CSX as a replacement for the historic depot that sits right beside it. The old building, constructed in 1910 by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, was once served by six tracks with eight raised concrete platforms. Today, only one passenger track remains in place. Both depots, old and new, are owned by the McLeod Regional Medical Center, though the former is used as office space by the hospital. The current buff brick station is smaller and less grandiose than its historic counterpart, but it has delicate white brackets and well-kept landscaping.

Florence was part of the original townships laid out by the Lords Proprietors of Carolina in 1719, but the town remained thinly populated until Florence became a railroad terminal at the juncture of three lines: the Wilmington & Manchester, the North Eastern and the Cheraw & Darlington. Florence was named in honor of Florence Harllee, daughter W.W. Harllee, president of the Wilmington & Manchester Railroad.

Florence’s railroads were busy during the Civil War, transporting troops, artillery and supplies as they made their way through Florence and onto Richmond, Charleston and Savannah. The railroad carried wounded Confederate soldiers to Florence’s Wayside Hospital, and brought captured Union soldiers to the Florence Stockade.

Henry Timrod rose to prominence during the Civil War and became known as The Poet Laureate of the Confederacy, teaching at a schoolhouse nearby. After the war, Florence prospered through its railroad, importing cotton, timber and tobacco toward the turn of the century. During the 1940s, Florence was the largest rail station in South Carolina, with 14 passenger trains serving the station every day. Florence became a major medical center during the 20th century, which helps explain the train station’s ownership.

Other than its medical importance, Florence is famous for its trail system, the War Between the States Museum, the Darlington Raceway, Timrod Park and the Florence Little Theater. The Florence County Museum features rotating exhibits highlighting the area’s rich artistic, cultural and historic heritage. Each fall, the town hosts the popular South Carolina Pecan Festival, which includes live music, food and craft vendors, amusement rides and other activities. Downtown has been undergoing significant revitalization to include the rehabilitation of historic structures and construction of new buildings that will house offices, commercial space and apartments.

Station Building (with waiting room)