"Thirty-seven years ago the Florence Hotel was erected in the frontier village of Coleman.  The lumber in its construction was freighted from Round Rock, Texas.  There are a number of old timers yet living in Coleman who remember those palmy pioneer days, when milk and honey dripped from the virgin trees, when the wine of vigorous youth flowed freely and the festive faro dealer plied his trade in the open.

"Present City Marshal Joel Warren was a cowpuncher on the western prairies during those interesting early days and made Coleman his base of supplies before and after each roundup.  Davis Paddleford was a vigorous young man and had come west in search of golden ducats, and which by persistent efforts and self-denial he has found in abundance.

"John Goode, whose name is familiar to old timers, had the building erected for a hotel in the year, 1877.  It was a modest one-story affair but served well its purpose in those halcyon days.  A few years afterward, Mrs. Florence Wise, or Florence Vane (as the name appeared on the silver-ware) acquired the hotel property, had a second story erected and otherwise enlarged and improved the premises, to accommodate the growing trade.  Mr. D. A. Paddleford did a greater portion of the carpenter work on the building as it now stands.

"The hotel took the name of the Florence House after the name of its owner, Mrs. Florence Vane, or Mrs. Florence Wise, who later became Mrs. Bustin and more recently Mrs. Payton.

"Under Mr. and Mrs. Payton’s stewardship the hotel leaped into prominence and became famous all over Texas for its home-like hospitality.  The Florence House earned a distinction all its own; its unsurpassed home-fashioned cuisine, its open fire, broad hearth and home-like atmosphere differentiated it from other hostleries and traveling men would pass up other towns in order to take their Sundays under the roof of the famous Florence House of Coleman - “Same old Crank, proprietor, no dogs allowed.”

"The enviable reputation of the Florence House was maintained throughout all those thirty-odd years and until June 1st of the present year when Mrs. Helen Moore relinquished her lease of the building, its familiar rooms and halls were vacated and the doors closed.  Since its construction thirty-seven years ago it is probable not a day has passed when the Florence House failed to serve its “three square hots” to an eager and waiting multitude.

"Mrs. Payton, after acquiring considerable property as the just fruits of her years of untiring labors, gave up the management of the Florence house a few years ago and is at present living in Ft. Worth.  “Daddy” Payton, her faithful consort, passed to his reward a year or so ago; but the Florence House, in other able hands, kept up its reputation to the end.

"R. W. Gray of Comanche, is the present owner of the property.  It is hoped he will see fit to raze the historic old wooden structure and erect thereon a modern hotel building which should take the name of the new Florence House, for memory’s sake if not for advertising purposes."