By 1850 the Cypress Mill, built by Martin and Weakley, produced 80,000 yards of cloth weekly.  Miller and Kenney’s Woolen Factory and Globe Cotton Factory were major producers.

By the 1860s production was diversified in order to meet not only the needs of the local population, economy and business development, but as a factor in the war effort.  Between 1860 and 1863, the local cotton and woolen factories operated at full capacity. Destruction of   industries in 1863 by General G.M. Dodge, which included the destruction of 1,500,000 bushels of corn, horses and mules, cotton, provisions, and the capture of prisoners.   By the 1870s cotton production had reached the pre-Civil War figures again.

Mountain Mills Cotton Factory relocated from Barton Al in Colbert County to East Florence and reopened as Cherry Cotton Mills under the leadership of Col. N.F. Cherry.

The Brandon Grist Mill was established c 1872.

The Florence Cotton Oil Company was established by the Ashcraft Family in 1898.   At the same time the Florence Milling Company was producing high grade family flours, and meals.

Alabama has not generally been identified as a wheat producing state.  However, a report published in 1898 noted that Lauderdale County has a notably large wheat crop and that more was grown and produced in the region than any other place in the state.  The Florence Milling Company went into operation in 1898.

The transition in the labor force resulted in the increase of tenancy or share-cropping and the crop-lien system effected management and ownership.