Largo, Florida
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Largo is the third largest city in
Pinellas County, Florida Pinellas County (, ) is a county located on the west central coast of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 959,107. The county is part of the Tampa– St. Petersburg– Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistic ...
, United States, as well as the fourth largest in the
Tampa Bay area The Tampa Bay area is a major populated area surrounding Tampa Bay on the west coast of Florida in the United States. It includes the main cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater. It is the 18th largest metropolitan area in the United St ...
. As of the 2020 Census, the city had a population of 82,500, up from 69,371 in
2000 File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
. Largo was first incorporated in 1905. In 1913, it became the first municipality in Pinellas County to adopt a council-manager government. It switched back and forth from "town" to "city" a few times, and became a city again in 1974. It was an exporter of agricultural products until the 1960s population growth began to transform it into a
bedroom community A commuter town is a populated area that is primarily residential rather than commercial or industrial. Routine travel from home to work and back is called commuting, which is where the term comes from. A commuter town may be called by many o ...
. From 1905 to 2010, Largo grew in area from to about , and in population from about 300 people to more than 70,000. Largo began as a rural farming community and became the third largest city in Florida's most densely populated county. Largo is a
sister city A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inter ...
to
Tosayamada, Kōchi was a town located in Kami District, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan. As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 22,160 and a density of 190.28 persons per km2. The total area was 116.46 km2. On March 1, 2006, Tosayamada, along with the ...
, Japan, and has been named a National
Arbor Day Arbor Day (or Arbour in some countries) is a secular day of observance in which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant trees. Today, many countries observe such a holiday. Though usually observed in the spring, the date varies, dependi ...
Tree City for 32 years in a row.


History


Beginnings of the area

The native inhabitants of the Largo area were the
Tocobaga Tocobaga (occasionally Tocopaca) was the name of a chiefdom, its chief, and its principal town during the 16th century. The chiefdom was centered around the northern end of Old Tampa Bay, the arm of Tampa Bay that extends between the present-day ...
Indians. They are also known as the Safety Harbor culture from their archeological remains near present-day
Safety Harbor Safety Harbor is a city on the west shore of Tampa Bay in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It was settled in 1823 and incorporated in 1917. The population was 16,884 at the 2010 census. History The area has been inhabited since the Stone ...
. The
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
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. Later, homesteaders to the Largo area were the families of James and Daniel McMullen around 1852. The McMullens and other settlers raised cattle, grew citrus and vegetables and fished. During the
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
, many Largo area residents fought for the
Confederate States of America The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confeder ...
. James and Daniel McMullen were members of the "Cow Cavalry" driving Florida cattle to
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...
and
the Carolinas The Carolinas are the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina, considered collectively. They are bordered by Virginia to the north, Tennessee to the west, and Georgia to the southwest. The Atlantic Ocean is to the east. Combining Nort ...
to help sustain the war effort. Other area residents served on blockade runners. 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 The Orange Belt Railway (later known as the Sanford & St. Petersburg Railroad) was a narrow gauge railroad established in 1885 by Russian exile Peter Demens in Florida. It was one of the longest narrow gauge railroads in the United States at th ...
reached the area in 1888. By this time Lake Tolulu had been renamed Lake Largo, and residents of the community west of the lake adopted the name "Largo".


Early Largo

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 about 500%. Then and for decades afterwards, Largo's economy was based on agriculture—
citrus ''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering plant, flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as Orange (fruit), oranges, Lemon, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and lim ...
groves, cattle ranches, and hog farms, as well as
turpentine Turpentine (which is also called spirit of turpentine, oil of turpentine, terebenthene, terebinthine and (colloquially) turps) is a fluid obtained by the distillation of resin harvested from living trees, mainly pines. Mainly used as a special ...
stills and
sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes (dimensi ...
s. Largo is best remembered as "Citrus City", from the time it was a citrus packing, canning and shipping center. The
Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
was unkind to Largo. Largo lacked the financial resources to meet its obligations. Largo reverted to its 1913 boundaries and
charter A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified. It is implicit that the granter retains superiority (or sovereignty), and that the rec ...
. The population dropped approximately 30%. The debt incurred by the issuance of bonds in the late 1920s was not paid off until after
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.


Rapid growth

The years after
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
saw rapid growth as people began moving into the area and Largo annexed surrounding lands. During the
nuclear arms race The nuclear arms race was an arms race competition for supremacy in nuclear warfare between the United States, the Soviet Union, and their respective allies during the Cold War. During this same period, in addition to the American and Soviet nuc ...
, electronics companies like
General Electric General Electric Company (GE) is an American multinational conglomerate founded in 1892, and incorporated in New York state and headquartered in Boston. The company operated in sectors including healthcare, aviation, power, renewable energ ...
and
Honeywell Honeywell International Inc. is an American publicly traded, multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. It primarily operates in four areas of business: aerospace, building technologies, performance ma ...
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 9/16th of a square mile. By 1982, Largo had grown to about and to about in 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 the Largo Public Library. In the 2006 commission elections, Largo achieved two milestones furthering its former motto of "City of Progress".
Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...
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 African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...
descent, Rodney J. Woods, in a
landslide Landslides, also known as landslips, are several forms of mass wasting that may include a wide range of ground movements, such as rockfalls, deep-seated grade (slope), slope failures, mudflows, and debris flows. Landslides occur in a variety of ...
against a former commissioner. On August 24, 2009, the iconic Largo
Clock Tower Clock towers are a specific type of structure which house a turret clock and have one or more clock faces on the upper exterior walls. Many clock towers are freestanding structures but they can also adjoin or be located on top of another buildi ...
, which was constructed shortly after completion of Largo Central Park, was demolished. City officials made the change because of the tower's decay and because a deteriorating landmark at a busy intersection was not an uplifting and memorable sight. The area surrounding the clock tower was replaced with a small garden area in order to incorporate the area into Largo Central Park.


Geography

Largo is located at (27.908355, −82.777791). It is centrally located in Pinellas County, touching the
Intracoastal Waterway The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) is a inland waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of the United States, running from Massachusetts southward along the Atlantic Seaboard and around the southern tip of Florida, then following th ...
to the southwest and
Tampa Bay Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and shallow estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico on the west-central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, McKay Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay. The largest freshwater in ...
to the northeast.
Clearwater Clearwater or Clear Water may refer to: Places Canada * Clear Water Academy, a private Catholic school located in Calgary, Alberta * Clearwater (provincial electoral district), a former provincial electoral district in Alberta * Clearwater, Briti ...
is Largo's neighbor to the north. To the northwest are the towns of Belleair and
Belleair Bluffs Belleair Bluffs is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,031 at the 2010 census. Geography Belleair Bluffs is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a ...
. The city of
Pinellas Park Pinellas Park is a city located in central Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The population was 53,093 at the 2020 census. Originally home to northern transplants and vacationers, the hundred year old city has grown into the fourth largest ...
lies south of eastern Largo.
Seminole The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, an ...
lies south of western Largo. The unincorporated community of Ridgecrest forms a large enclave between western and central Largo. A number of county enclaves pepper the City of Largo. In 2010, Largo's total area was , of which was land and , or 5.22%, was water. As of 2004, there were of park lands. The city's lowest elevation is sea level. At its highest, the city's elevation is about . Largo is dotted with a number of lakes, the largest of which is Taylor Lake at . Allen's Creek drains northeast Largo, flowing into Tampa Bay. McKay Creek flows through southwest Largo into the Intracoastal Waterway. The McKay Creek basin is prone to flooding.


Climate

Largo is located on the
Pinellas Pinellas is the name of a peninsula located roughly halfway down the west coast of Florida. It forms the western boundary of Tampa Bay and comprises the bulk of Pinellas County. There is a city named Pinellas Park in south Pinellas. The peninsula ...
Peninsula, so that its climate is moderated by its proximity to the
Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...
and Tampa Bay. In the winter, temperatures are warmer on the Pinellas Peninsula than on mainland Florida. Winters are generally drier than the rest of the year. Most of the rainfall comes in the summer, when the sea breeze carries moisture from the Gulf inland. Largo's record low is , recorded on December 13, 1962. Largo's record high is , recorded on July 5, 1995.


Demographics

As of the
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2010, there were 77, 648 people, 38,022 households, and 19,573 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 46,859 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 86.3%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 5.6%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.3% Native American, 2.7%
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.2%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 2.6% from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 2.4% from two or more races. 9.0% of the population is
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
of any race. There were 38,022 households, out of which 16.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.2% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.5% were non-families. 39.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.02 and the average family size was 2.67. In the city, the population was spread out, with 15.6% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 22.6% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 26.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48.2 years. As of the
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 69,371 people, 34,041 households, and 18,382 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 40,261 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 92.71%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 2.69%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.34% Native American, 1.69%
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.08%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 0.99% from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.49% from two or more races. 4.18% of the population is
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
of any race. There were 34,041 households, out of which 17.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.8% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.0% were non-families. 38.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.99 and the average family size was 2.59. In the city, the population was spread out, with 15.6% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 30.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.9 males. The median income for a household in the city was $32,217, and the median income for a family was $41,523. Males had a median income of $30,186 versus $24,477 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the city was $20,848. About 6.0% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 12.0% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.


Economy

The decline of
agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
with population growth beginning in the 1960s largely transformed Largo into a
bedroom community A commuter town is a populated area that is primarily residential rather than commercial or industrial. Routine travel from home to work and back is called commuting, which is where the term comes from. A commuter town may be called by many o ...
.
Electronics The field of electronics is a branch of physics and electrical engineering that deals with the emission, behaviour and effects of electrons using electronic devices. Electronics uses active devices to control electron flow by amplification ...
, though important, could not fill the gap left by agriculture. Other light manufacturers fill various niches. The vast majority of jobs in Largo are in services and in retail sales. The
health care Health care or healthcare is the improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is delivered by health profe ...
industry continues to grow to meet the needs of an aging population.
Hospital A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emerge ...
s are among the area's strongest employers.
Largo Medical Center Largo Medical Center is a 455-bed teaching hospital located in Largo, in the US state of Florida. The hospital has three campuses in Largo and in Clearwater, employs approximately 1,800 people, and is owned by Hospital Corporation of America, a Na ...
, owned by the
Hospital Corporation of America HCA Healthcare is an American for-profit operator of health care facilities that was founded in 1968. It is based in Nashville, Tennessee, and, as of May 2020, owns and operates 186 hospitals and approximately 2,000 sites of care, including sur ...
(HCA), was established in 1978; it consists of two separate campuses: its original campus near downtown Largo, and the former Sun Coast Hospital on Indian Rocks Road, which was renamed Largo Medical Center-Indian Rocks Campus after its acquisition by HCA. At one time Largo was the headquarters of
Eckerd Corporation Eckerd Corporation was an American drug store chain that was headquartered in Largo, Florida, and toward the end of its life, in Warwick, Rhode Island. The chain had approximately 2,800 stores in 23 states as far west as Arizona. In November 199 ...
.


Top employers

According to the city's 2018 Community Development Division, the top employers in the city are:


Arts and culture


Public library

The
Largo Public Library The Largo Public Library is a public library located in Largo, Florida, United States. Located next to Largo Central Park, it serves a community of over 75,000 residents. The first incarnation of the Largo Public Library opened in 1916, as part ...
opened in 1916 in the basement of the Town Hall, with a collection of about 560 books. In 1968, a new location was opened to house 14,000 titles. In 1977, a new library was erected on of donated land. Following an expansion in 1989, the library held 250,000 items. Largo Public Library’s current building was built in 2005.


Government

The City of Largo is governed by a City Commission of seven people elected at large to staggered, four-year terms. The mayor acts as a member and presiding officer of the Commission. The Commission's role encompasses the setting of city policy, exercising those duties imposed by the charter and law. In so doing, the City Commission executes the City's powers by the passage of resolutions and ordinances. The Commission appoints and directs the
City Manager A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a "Mayor–council government" council–manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief execu ...
and approves the City Manager's appointments for City Attorney, Assistant City Manager, and
City Clerk A clerk is a senior official of many municipal governments in the English-speaking world. In some communities, including most in the United States, the position is elected, but in many others, the clerk is appointed to their post. In the UK, a Tow ...
. The City Manager directs the administration in governing and providing municipal services to Largo. The Administration Department includes the City Manager's Office, the City Attorney's Office, the City Clerk's Office, the Communications and Marketing Office, the Office of Management and Budget, and the City Attorney. The City Manager is appointed by and answerable to the City Commission as a whole. The City of Largo is unique in that a supermajority of commissioners is required to terminate the City Manager. The City Manager appoints and supervises all department directors, and with Commission approval, appoints the Assistant City Manager, the City Clerk, and the City Attorney.


Education

Pinellas County Schools Pinellas County Schools is the public school district serving Pinellas County, Florida. The district is based in Largo. With over 104,000 students served in more than 140 schools and centers, the district is the 7th-largest in Florida and 26th-la ...
operates primary and secondary schools. The school district's administrative headquarters is located in Largo. Largo's
high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
is Largo High, and its mascot is the razorback boar. They are called the Packers because of the influence of the citrus packing industry on the town, most notably, the packing plant of Senator John Taylor. Largo's middle school is Largo Middle. The school colors are orange and black and the mascot is a tiger.
Schiller International University Schiller International University (SIU) is a private for-profit university with its main campus and administrative headquarters in Tampa, Florida. It is named after the German playwright and philosopher Friedrich Schiller. It has campuses on tw ...
's main campus is in Largo. St. Patricks Catholic School has a campus on Trotter Road in Largo, providing a private education for grades Pre-K–8th grade. Other private schools in the city include
Veritas Academy Veritas Academy is the first "University-Model school" opened in Florida. Founded in 2005 by President Rick Hermanns and the administrator, Kira Brown Wilson, under the name Veritas Preparatory Academy it began in Pinellas Park, Florida with 91 st ...
.


Infrastructure


Transportation

Largo is served by two international airports,
Tampa International Airport Tampa International Airport is an international airport west of Downtown Tampa, in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. The airport is publicly owned by Hillsborough County Aviation Authority (HCAA)., effective December 30, 2021. T ...
and St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport. St. Petersburg-Clearwater Airport is located about east of downtown. Tampa International Airport is located about east of downtown on the other side of Tampa Bay. The
Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) is a government agency that provides public transportation for Pinellas County, Florida. The authority manages a fixed-route bus system that encompasses over 40 bus routes - including two express rout ...
provides bus service throughout Pinellas County and express service to Tampa. State Roads 686 and
688 __NOTOC__ Year 688 ( DCLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 688 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar ...
pass through Largo to connect with Interstate 275, which connects with
I-75 Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end in 5, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, traveling from St ...
.
US 19 U.S. Route 19 (US 19) is a north–south U.S. Highway in the Eastern United States. Despite encroaching Interstate Highways, the route has remained a long-haul road, connecting the Gulf of Mexico with Lake Erie. The highway's southern ...
and US 19 Alternate run north-to-south through Largo. A grid of county roads connects Largo with its neighbors.


Notable people

*
Beth Bauer Beth Bauer Grace (born March 15, 1980) is an American former professional golfer. Bauer was born in Largo, Florida. As an amateur, she won the 1997 U.S. Girls' Junior and in 1998 and 1999 she earned back-to-back victories at the North and South ...
, former LPGA golfer * Michael Bradley, current PGA golfer *
Irene Cara Irene Cara Escalera (March 18, 1959 – November 25, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter and actress of Black, Puerto Rican and Cuban descent. Cara rose to prominence for her role as Coco Hernandez in the 1980 musical film '' Fame'', and f ...
, American Singer *
Al Conover Al Conover (born 1938) is a former American football player and coach. Most notably, he served as head coach at Rice University from 1972 to 1975, compiling a record of 15–27–2 in four seasons before resigning to enter private business. A nat ...
, former
American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
player and coach *
Sarah Mavis Dabbs Sarah Mavis Dabbs (March 10, 1922 – May 14, 2000) was a fourth outfielder who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 5", 130 lb., she batted and threw right handed. Sarah Dabbs played softball in her ...
,
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) was a professional women's baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley which existed from 1943 to 1954. The AAGPBL is the forerunner of women's professional league sports in the Uni ...
player *
D'Qwell Jackson D'Qwell Jackson (; born September 26, 1983) is a former American football inside linebacker who played eleven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Maryland, and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the ...
, NFL linebacker,
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
*
Chloe Lowery Chloe Elaine Lowery is an American singer and songwriter. By the age of 12 she was signed to RCA Records. She was featured on two film soundtracks during that time, '' Boys and Girls'' and "Joe Somebody." She toured with Big Brother and the H ...
, singer-songwriter *
Dexter McCluster Dexter Marquise McCluster (born August 25, 1988) is a former American football running back. He played college football for the University of Mississippi. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft and also ...
, NFL running back/wide receiver,
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The tea ...
* Brittney McConn, retired
figure skater Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform on figure skates on ice. It was the first winter sport to be included in the Olympic Games, when contested at the 1908 Olympics in London. The Olympic disciplines are me ...
*
Casey Moore Casey Moore (born July 26, 1980) is the former running backs coach for the Nevada Wolf Pack football team. He is a former American football player. Moore played college football at Stanford and was drafted by the Carolina Panthers The Carolin ...
, current
Nevada Wolf Pack The Nevada Wolf Pack are the athletic teams that represent the University of Nevada, Reno. They are part of NCAA's Division I's Mountain West Conference. It was founded on October 24, 1896 with football as the Sagebrushers in Reno, Nevada. Hi ...
running backs coach *
Lanny Poffo Lanny Mark Poffo (born December 28, 1954), better known by his ring names "Leaping" Lanny Poffo and The Genius, is a Canadian-American professional wrestler, motivational speaker, poet, and actor. Poffo was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, to ...
, professional wrestler. * Leonard T. Schroeder, retired U.S. Army colonel, first soldier ashore on D-Day in World War II *
John Stansel Taylor John Stansel Taylor (1871-1936) was a Largo, Florida politician, citrus grower, and businessman who served as the first State Senator from Pinellas County, Florida. He was born "six miles south of Largo" on March 21, 1871, before Largo became a ...
, Florida state senator *
Bill Young Charles William Young (December 16, 1930 – October 18, 2013) was an American politician who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1971 until his death in 2013. A Republican from Florida, Young served as chairman of the H ...
, U.S. Congressman *
Anastasija Zolotic Anastasija Zolotic ( sr, / ; born 23 November 2002) is an American taekwondo athlete and Olympic gold medalist. She won the silver medal at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics in the Girls 49 kg weight class. She qualified to represent the United S ...
, First American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in Taekwondo


Sister cities

*
Kami are the deities, divinities, spirits, phenomena or "holy powers", that are venerated in the Shinto religion. They can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, or beings and the qualities that these beings express; they can also be the sp ...
( Kōchi,
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
) – since 1969


See also

*
History of Florida The history of Florida can be traced to when the first Native Americans began to inhabit the peninsula as early as 14,000 years ago. They left behind artifacts and archeological evidence. Florida's written history Recorded history or writt ...
*
Maritime history of Florida The maritime history of Florida describes significant past events relating to the U.S. state of Florida in areas concerning shipping, shipwrecks, and military installations and lighthouses constructed to protect or aid navigation and development o ...


References


Further reading

* City of Largo. ''Citizen's Academy Handbook''. Largo. 2003. * Coughlin, Leo
Around Here
''Clearwater Gazette''. June 23, 2005. * de Quesada, Jr., A.M. and Luisi, Vincent. ''Images of America: Pinellas County''. Tempus Publishing. Charleston, SC. 1998. * Milanich, Jerald T., ''Florida Indians and the Invasion from Europe''. University Press of Florida: Gainesville. 1995. I

December 20, 2005. * Pinellas County Planning Department as staff for the Pinellas County Planning Council. ''Pinellas County Historical Background''.


External links


City of Largo official website

"How Largo got its name, maybe"
''St. Petersburg Times''
Largo Area Historical Society
{{authority control 1905 establishments in Florida Cities in Pinellas County, Florida Populated places on the Intracoastal Waterway in Florida Cities in Florida Populated places established in the 19th century