The Florence Ranch Homestead is an outstanding example of late 19th century rural Texas architecture and early pioneer ranching. David W. and Julia Savannah (Beaty) Florence built the first portion of this ranch house in 1871-72 after moving here from Van Zandt County. Elaborate wood trim decorates the gallery of the simple frame structure.
The house was enlarged by the 1890s when the Florence Homestead covered 730 acres. Florence retired in 1908, and his son Emet ( and Emet’s wife Perle continued to run the ranch, known as Meadow View Farm. Florence Schulz and her daughter (Florence’s granddaughter), Julie Schulz Morris, donated the homestead to the City of Mesquite in 1987.