Benjamin Newbern - CRC Realty

Florence didn't just happen. It was planned.

In March 1818, a group of investors called the Cypress Land Company purchased land on a bluff above the Tennessee River and hired an Italian surveyor named Ferdinand Sannoner to lay out the town. Sannoner — born in Livorno, trained in Paris, and recently arrived in America — completed the survey and, by some accounts, gave the town its name. He called it Florence, after his home in Italy.

That's how a North Alabama town on the Tennessee River ended up named for a city in Tuscany.
Florence was established on March 12, 1818 — before Alabama was even a state. It became the county seat of Lauderdale County almost immediately, which gave it an early advantage that shaped everything that followed.

This is the second post in my Shoals history series.

https://www.benjaminnewbern.com/blog/the-founding-of-florence-1818

The Founding of Florence: How a Planned Town Joined the Shoals Story — BENJAMIN NEWBERN | CRC REALTY Florence was not the beginning of the Shoals’ settlement story, but when the Cypress Land Company laid out the town in 1818, it changed the future of Northwest Alabama.

✨ New CRC Realty listing in Florence!

Listed by Becca Bretherick, Realtor- CRC Realty Inc., 504 N. Patton St. offers a completely renovated 2-bedroom, 1-bath home with 1,511 square feet, fresh finishes throughout and major updates already handled — including new electrical, insulation, roof and HVAC.

The bonus? A separate apartment/flex space that opens up several possibilities — guest space, home office, extended living setup or potential income-producing use, subject to buyer verification.

📍 504 N. Patton St., Florence, AL 35630
💰 $210,500
🛏️ 2 bedrooms
🛁 1 bath
📐 1,511 square feet
🚗 Detached 2-car carport
🌳 Corner city lot

Call me if you’d like to schedule a showing.

Benjamin Newbern - CRC Realty | 256-762-9436

View Property Details COMPLETELY RENOVATED & MOVE-IN READY!! This 2 Bed 1 bath has been updated from top to bottom, with everything new, New Electrical, New insulation, New Roof, New HVAC offering peace of mind and modern comfort. Enjoy fresh finishes throughout and a bright inviting interior. As an added bonus, the prop...

🏡 Two Killen open houses. One Saturday. Two great homes to tour.

I’ll be hosting open houses this Saturday, June 13, at two homes in Killen — each with its own kind of space, updates and outdoor appeal.

📍 500 Plantation Drive, Killen
⏰ 10AM-12PM

This home offers the kind of flexibility buyers keep asking for — main-level bedrooms, a sunroom, upstairs bonus space and a detached garage/workshop with upper-level storage. Nearly an acre in Plantation Village gives you room to spread out, garden, entertain or simply enjoy the outdoor space.

Listed by Jennifer McGee, Realtor- CRC Realty,Inc. | 256-412-1804

📍 181 Spry Way, Killen
⏰ 1PM-3PM

This one is packed with upgrades buyers actually notice — an open floor plan, quartz countertops, stainless appliances, gas range, whole-house generator, tankless water heater, water softener and filtration system. The backyard adds even more to love with a privacy fence, pergola, garden beds and fruit trees.

Listed by Pamela Holt Butler, Realtor, Associate Broker W/ CRC Realty | 256-762-8756

Hosted by Benjamin Newbern - CRC Realty | 256-762-9436

💬 Stop by one or both, or message me with questions or to schedule a private showing.

Let’s go see this one — and bring your walking shoes. 👀🌳

Listed by Brenda Hunt with CRC Realty Inc., 2211 Cotton Gin Road in Russellville is a spacious country retreat with 5 bedrooms, 3 baths and approximately 47.8 acres.

There’s room here for a lot of life: a large yard, hunting land, outdoor recreation, equipment storage, RV/boat storage, a metal shop, an in-ground pool and a full unfinished basement for extra storage or storm shelter use.

And for water lovers, Bear Creek recreation is close by, with public boat dock and pier access approximately 3 miles away.

📍 2211 Cotton Gin Road, Russellville, AL 35653
💰 $649,900
🛏️ 5 bedrooms
🛁 3 baths
📐 3,571 finished square feet
🌳 Approximately 47.8 acres
🚗 Attached and detached garage space
🏊 In-ground pool
🛠️ Shop/equipment storage
🎣 Nearby Bear Creek access

Want to go take a look? Call me and let’s schedule a showing.

Benjamin Newbern - CRC Realty | 256-762-9436

View Property Details Spacious country retreat featuring 5 bedrooms, 3 baths situated on approx 47.8 acres! Unique home offers generous sized rooms & a full unfinished basement providing add'tl storage & a storm cellar. Located approx 3 miles to a variety of water activities, with a public boat dock & pier. Fishing, swim...

Price reduction in Forest Hills — let’s go see this one. 👀

102 Colonial Drive in Florence, listed by Christopher Fowler Broker of CRC Realty, Inc., is now priced at $319,900 after a $15,000 price reduction.

This updated 4-bedroom, 3-bath home sits on a large corner lot in the Forest Hills subdivision and offers 2,092 square feet of main-level living, wood floors, plantation shutters, recessed lighting and an updated kitchen with professional-grade appliances.

There’s also a partially finished basement with kitchen cabinets, recessed lighting and a full bath — a great setup for guest space, an in-law suite or extra living area with a few finishing touches.

📍 102 Colonial Drive, Florence, AL 35633
💰 Now $319,900
⬇️ $15,000 price reduction
🛏️ 4 bedrooms
🛁 3 baths
📐 2,092 square feet
🌳 0.70-acre corner lot
🚗 2-car garage
🏊 Neighborhood pool access
🏫 Near Forest Hills School

Want to go take a look? Call me and let’s schedule a showing.

Benjamin Newbern - CRC Realty | 256-762-9436

View Property Details Beautifully updated 4-bedroom, 3-bath home on a corner lot in the sought-after Forest Hills subdivision! Features include wood floors, plantation shutters, and recessed lighting throughout. The updated kitchen boasts updated cabinetry and professional-grade appliances. A partially finished basement....

What house do you always notice when you’re driving around?

For me, one of those areas is The Village in Sheffield.

Officially known as Nitrate Village No. 1 or Village One, this neighborhood was built in 1918 as housing for workers and supervisors connected to the World War I-era U.S. Nitrate Plant No. 1. The homes are instantly recognizable: stucco exteriors, red tile roofs, bungalow-style forms and a street layout often described as being shaped like the Liberty Bell.

The project did not unfold exactly as planned. Construction began near the end of World War I, and the nitrate project was later abandoned. The village eventually found new life when TVA used the buildings for employees before deeding the village to Sheffield in 1949.

That history is part of why I always make a point to drive through when I’m in the area. The homes do not look like every other neighborhood in the Shoals — and that is exactly the charm. The Village has a real sense of place: architecture, history, mature trees, curved streets and homes that still feel distinctive more than a century later.

So now I want to know:

What house or neighborhood do you always notice when you’re driving around the Shoals?

Drop it in the comments — I may feature it next.

Benjamin Newbern - CRC Realty | 256-762-9436

The Shoals Short List | June 11-14

A few things worth making plans for this weekend:

🎸 FAME Studios Presents a Tribute to Travis Wammack & the FAME Gang — Norton Auditorium, Florence, Thursday at 7:30 p.m. The session players who kept the FAME sound rolling get their flowers.

🎶 Sledgefest 2026 — Downtown Leighton, Friday-Sunday. A weekend music festival honoring Leighton native and soul legend Percy Sledge.

🌈 Shoals PrideFest 2026 — Wilson Park, Downtown Florence, Saturday, 2-6PM. A community Pride gathering centered on belonging, visibility and support in the Shoals.

🛍️ Tuscumbia Second Saturdays — Downtown Tuscumbia, Saturday, 12PM-7PM. Vendors, a fashion show and live music downtown.

🌙 Night Moves: Vintage + Makers Market — Mobile Plaza, Downtown Florence, Saturday, 5-10PM. A nighttime street market with 40+ vintage and handmade vendors, plus DJ Pedialyte spinning records.

The Shoals has a lot going on this weekend. Save this, send it to someone who needs a plan, and get out and enjoy some of it.

Benjamin Newbern - CRC Realty | 256-762-9436

🏡 CRC LISTING SPOTLIGHT 🏡

Listed by Pamela Holt Butler, Realtor, Associate Broker W/ CRC Realty, today’s featured listing is **1006 Pasadena Ave in Muscle Shoals**.

This 3-bedroom, 2-bath home offers 1,697 square feet, a formal living room, a den with fireplace and gas logs, plus a fenced backyard with a 16x32 inground pool. There is also plenty of parking, including a detached double garage, detached double carport and attached single carport.

Convenient to Muscle Shoals schools, shopping and restaurants, this one brings a lot of space and function at **$199,900**.

Ready to see it in person? Schedule your private showing today.

Benjamin Newbern - CRC Realty | 256-762-9436

1006 Pasadena Ave