Editing Largo, Florida (section)

==History==

===Beginnings of the area===
{{For timeline|Timeline of Largo, Florida history}}
The native inhabitants of the Largo area were the [[Tocobaga]] Indians. They are also known as the Safety Harbor culture from their archeological remains near present-day [[Safety Harbor, Florida|Safety Harbor]]. The [[Spanish Empire|Spanish]] came to Florida in the 16th century. In the 18th century, the Tocobaga had been virtually destroyed after years of exposure to European diseases, Spanish settlement efforts and warfare between Spain and England. The Largo area, like the rest of Pinellas County, was largely deserted. In 1763, Spain transferred sovereignty of Florida to the United Kingdom. In 1783, Florida fell to Spanish sovereignty once again until it was transferred to the United States in 1821. By 1845, a surveyor recorded the location of Lake Tolulu, apparently south of present-day East Bay Drive and roughly where the Largo Central Park Nature Preserve is today.

[[Image:Largo Central Park Nature Preserve01.JPG|thumb|right|Boardwalk across wetlands in Largo Central Park Nature Preserve, the bed of the former Lake Largo]]
Later homesteaders to the Largo area included the families of James and Daniel McMullen, around 1852. The McMullens and other settlers raised cattle, grew citrus and vegetables and fished. During the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], many Largo area residents fought for the [[Confederate States of America]]. James and Daniel McMullen were members of the [[1st Florida Special Cavalry Battalion|"Cow Cavalry"]] driving Florida cattle to [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] and [[the Carolinas]] to help sustain the war effort. Other area residents served on [[blockade runner]]s. Still others left the area to serve in the Confederacy's armies. After the war, Largo area residents returned to farming, ranching, and raising citrus. The [[Orange Belt Railway]] reached the area in 1888. By this time Lake Tolulu had been renamed Lake Largo,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schulte |first=Eileen |date=June 27, 2004 |title=How Largo got its name, maybe |url=http://www.sptimes.com/2004/06/27/Northpinellas/How_Largo_got_its_nam.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040925031516/http://www.sptimes.com/2004/06/27/Northpinellas/How_Largo_got_its_nam.shtml |archive-date=September 25, 2004 |website=St. Petersburg Times}}</ref> and residents of the community west of the lake adopted the name "Largo".

===Incorporation to Great Depression===
[[File:Largo, Florida Map Mar 6,1925.jpg|thumb|left|Map of Largo (1925)]]
The Town of Largo was incorporated in 1905. Lake Largo was drained in 1916 to make way for growth and development. Between 1910 and 1930, Largo's population increased by about 500%. Then and for decades afterwards, Largo's economy was based on agriculture—[[citrus]] groves, [[cattle ranch]]es, and [[Pig farming|hog farms]], as well as [[turpentine]] stills and [[sawmill]]s. Largo is best remembered as "Citrus City", from the time it was a citrus packing, canning and shipping center.

The [[Great Depression]] was difficult for Largo, which lacked the financial resources to meet its obligations. Largo reverted to its 1913 boundaries and charter, after which the population dropped by approximately 30%. The debt incurred from the issuance of bonds in the late 1920s was not paid off until after World War II.

===Rapid growth ===
[[File:Taylor Lake Park2.jpg|thumb|Taylor Lake Park is a county park in Largo on 8th Avenue SW.]]
The years after World War II saw rapid growth as people began moving into the area and Largo annexed surrounding lands. During the [[nuclear arms race]], electronics companies like [[General Electric]] and [[Honeywell]] boosted the economy. The population increased to about 5,000 in 1960, to about 20,000 in 1970, and to about 70,000 in 2005. Largo's original area was {{Convert|9/16|sqmi|km2|of a|adj=pre}}. By 1982, Largo had grown to about {{convert|13|sqmi|km2|0}} and to about {{convert|48|km2|order=flip|0}} by 2010. The groves, farms, ranches and forests have mostly given way to homes and shopping centers and light industry. The increased population resulted in a need for increased city services. All departments saw rapid growth and improvements in quality, especially under the leadership of the late Mayor Thom Feaster. In 1995, [[Largo Central Park]] opened on the site of the old Pinellas County Fairgrounds. It is the setting for the Largo Central Park Performing Arts Center and is located across the street from the Largo Public Library.<ref>{{cite book|last=Schnur|first=James Anthony|year=2011|title=Largo|series=Images of America|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A0dyPvN9S7EC&pg=PA124|publisher=[[Arcadia Publishing]]|page=124|isbn=978-1531654535}}</ref>

In the 2006 commission elections, Largo achieved two milestones furthering its former motto of "City of Progress". [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[Patricia Gerard]] became the city's first female mayor. She narrowly defeated incumbent mayor [[Robert E. Jackson]] in a bitterly contested race. (Dr. Jackson had been the longest-serving elected Democrat in Pinellas County.) The voters' choice between these two candidates decided the major issue of the election: that the city would not revert to a mayor-dominated process of governance in lieu of the continuing role for the seven-member commission acting as non-partisans—that is, deliberating independently and equally with the mayor and deciding democratically the political issues of the city.

Also, the city elected its first commissioner of African-American descent, Rodney J. Woods, in a [[Landslide victory|landslide]] against a former commissioner.

On August 24, 2009, the iconic Largo clock tower, which was constructed shortly after completion of Largo Central Park, was demolished. City officials made the decision as the tower had fallen into disrepair. The area surrounding the clock tower was replaced with a small garden area in order to incorporate the area into Largo Central Park.<ref>{{cite news|date=March 28, 2008|title=Clock's new face|url=https://newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times/143265853/|newspaper=[[Tampa Bay Times]]|location=St. Petersburg, Florida|page=5|access-date=March 13, 2024|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Helfand|first=Lorri|date=May 3, 2009|title=Landmark park to get facelift|url=https://newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times/143265727/|newspaper=[[Tampa Bay Times]]|location=St. Petersburg, Florida|page=3|access-date=March 13, 2024|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=December 27, 2009|title=Palms are in place|url=https://newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times/143265884/|newspaper=[[Tampa Bay Times]]|location=St. Petersburg, Florida|page=3|access-date=March 13, 2024|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>