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www.CentralChamber.biz“It’s great to belong! ”
Spanish explorer Panfilo De Navarez
discovered the Pinellas Peninsula in 1528. The
area remained inhabited by native Timuccua
Indians and pirates until the mid-1800’s. Central
in the region, Largo was settled in 1842 along
the banks of McKay Creek. Although it is not
certain if the town was named for Lake Largo
(which was filled in the 1930’s) or by Scottish
immigrants who settled the northern part of the
country, Largo became the hub of activity for
lumber, cattle, salt and citrus trading. When the
Orange Belt Railway opened up more trade
routes, Largo became a popular destination for
tourists from the North.
In 1905, Largo was officially incorporated and
in 1913 became the first town in Florida – and
second in the nation – to adopt a town manager
form of government. Largo experienced
tremendous growth in the 1920’s but a freeze
crippled the economy. Then came a greater
blow - the Great Depression. Pressured by
mounting debt, the City of Largo retreated to the
original 1905 boundaries and resumed to the
humble beginnings of the Town of Largo.
Veteran’s returning
from World War II soon
discovered the beauty
of Florida’s Suncoast,
which had previously
been known only to
local farmers and rich
vacationers brought to
the area on the rail lines built by Henry Flagler
and Henry Plant. The population surged from
1,500 residents in 1950 to over 5,300 in just
10 years. Another hard freeze in 1962 crippled
Largo’s agricultural industry, forcing groves to
be sold, which were then quickly replaced by
homes to accommodate the growing population.
Largo’s population reached more than 22,000
by 1970 and a new City of Progress was born.
Today, Largo is the fourth largest city in
the Tampa Bay area with more than 76,000
residents and continues to grow through
voluntary annexation. Over the past 10 years,
the City has enhanced life for residents and
visitors with the development of Central Park
Performing Arts Center and state-of-the-art
Largo Public Library.
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THE HEART OF
PINELLAS – LARGO, IN 1913 – BECAME
THE FIRST TO HAVE A CITY
MANAGER FORMOF GOVERNMENT.
Business & Community
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A
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HISTORY
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PINELLAS