Flora’s small-town legacy as Ford Town USA
Named partially for its abundance of wildflowers, Flora is known for its serene small-town lifestyle, with about 4,700 residents in Clay County. It is also known as 'Ford Town USA,' a title given to it by the Ford Motor Company in 1960, with a car giveaway that lives in history. With proximity to major cities like St. Louis and Centralia, Flora has relatively low housing prices and a family friendly town center that brings simplicity to this community in Southern Illinois. "If people want to get back to the simple life, they can move to Flora for convenient small-town living," says Phil Wilder, an area local and President of Wiley Realty Group. "People can sell their home, pay their debt and retire here with a paid-off house. I love my community, and I tell everyone about our area."
Forested neighborhood with eclectic architecture
Houses in Flora rest on lush, grassy lawns with slippery elm trees that provide abundant shade. This community features various architectural styles, including Craftsman and New Traditional homes. The median year of construction is about 1952, meaning many homes are from the early and mid-20th century. Prices range from $20,000 to $340,000. Manufactured homes fall in the same price range. Home values are low compared to those in Illinois and much of the country. "The cost brings people to our area," Wiley says. "People can buy a home on 5 acres and have a garden in the country."
Illinois has higher-than-average property tax rates, making it difficult for communities to expand. "Illinois' property taxes are a substantial drawback to development," Wiley says. "However, you can still buy a three-bedroom home in a nice neighborhood for $125,000."
STEM and enrichment programs at Flora schools
Flora Elementary School offers STEM classes through the award-winning IMSA Fusion program, which focuses on math and science principles. Floyd Henson Junior High School has an enrichment program, in which gifted students can gain extra skills with before or after-school activities. Both Flora Elementary and Floyd Henson Junior High earn B grades from Niche. Flora High School receives a C-plus and offers extracurricular activities like a bass fishing club. "Our high school has about 380 students," Wiley says. "The district has a low student-teacher ratio, so kids can get more 1-on-1 learning."
Celebrating the automobile history at Ford Town Funfest
Ford Town Funfest is the area's most well-known festival. In September, the town gathers for a classic car show with craft beer, a chili cook-off and family friendly activities. After Flora was designated Ford Town USA in 1960, Ford gave the community brand-new vehicles for locals to drive for a week. "We celebrate the anniversary of when every household got a new car for the week, and the town was full of white Fords," Wiley says. "They gave out 1,500 vehicles, and only two were totaled."
Historic downtown with festive restaurants like La Fuente
North Avenue is Flora's downtown thoroughfare, with historic buildings, locally owned businesses and restaurants. One is Grandma's Kitchen, which serves country-style lunch and breakfast dishes. Residents can also stop by La Fuente for tacos and margaritas. The area's supermarkets are Price Less IGA and Walmart Supercenter, providing plenty of options for grocery shopping.
Local parks have walking trails and lake access
One of the community green spaces is Rotary Park, which has six tennis courts and a rocket ship-themed playground. Charley Brown Park has campgrounds and a walking trail around a fishing lake. It also features a disc golf course and a locomotive train ride for kids. Approximately 15 miles south, Sam Dale Lake is a hotspot for bass fishing, with campgrounds, horseback riding trails and kayaking access.
U.S. Highway 50 provides access to nearby cities
Due to its flat layout, Flora has bike-friendly transit routes. There is no available public transit for a fixed-route bus system. The Clay County Hospital has an emergency room about a mile north of downtown. U.S. Highway 50 is a central expressway leading to larger cities, which are also within reach. Centralia is 40 miles west, and St. Louis, Missouri, is about 100 miles west. The MidAmerica St. Louis Airport is approximately 80 miles west, with passenger flights to other U.S. cities.
