McFarland State Historic Park

Located in downtown Florence, Arizona, there is a small but amazing historic park with buildings that date back to the Arizona Territory period.

McFarland State Historic Park commemorates Ernest McFarland (1894 - 1984), who was a US Senator, an Arizona Governor, as well as the Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court. The courthouse was originally built in 1878 in Florence, Arizona, and Florence is known as "the garden city." Even though it is in the middle of the desert, the town has cottonwood trees lining the hard dirt-packed streets. The Pinal County Courthouse was always the central hub for the town's residents and was a place for all to socialize and transact business. 

This historic building housed the sheriff's office, courtroom, judge's chambers, and the jail on the first floor. The second story was used as a jury room and quarters for the visiting lawyers. This attraction now has a museum with displays depicting the history of the area. Visitors can look at various prisoner of war items, the courtroom, an old medical bag, and more. Murphy's Romance was filmed in Florence in 1985, featuring Sally Fields and James Garner. Visitors can see the tree on the parking strip that was shown in the movie. Stop by the gift shop for jellies, local honey, fudge, shirts, ironworks, and other fun souvenirs. If you're a history buff, stop by the McFarland State Historic Park the next time you're road tripping through Arizona.