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93-618: 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 of the Largo Town Hall building. An updated and expanded town hall and library facility was completed in 1968. In 1977, a new $ 1 million facility opened on five acres of land that previously housed

186-466: A council-manager government . It switched back and forth between "town" and "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 . From 1905 to 2010, Largo grew in area from 9 ⁄ 16 of a square mile (1.5 km ) to about 19 square miles (48 km ), and in population from about 300 people to more than 70,000. Largo began as

279-405: A bluff overlooking Clear Water Harbor , which later became part of an early 20th-century residential development (now historic district) called Harbor Oaks . University of South Florida archaeologists excavated the site in 1977 after Alfred C. Wyllie discovered an underground ammunition bunker while digging a swimming pool on his estate. Clearwater would later become the first organized community on

372-665: A branch office of the Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services . This facility received an expansion in 1989. The current facility, which was funded by a sales tax initiative and utilizes over twice the space as the previous facility, opened to the public on July 31, 2005. In 1914, the Woman's Club of Largo began to create a small library for the community of 350 residents. This original Library Committee consisted of Mrs. D.F. Judkins, Mrs. W.F. Belcher, Mrs. J.T. Jackson, Mrs. W.M. Ulmer, and Mrs. Ann McMullen. Efforts to begin

465-417: 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 for the city was $ 20,848. About 6.0% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the poverty line , including 12.0% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over. The decline of agriculture with population growth beginning in

558-572: A major impact on the islands, with the Hurricane of 1848 forming John's Pass between Madeira Beach and Treasure Island, a hurricane in 1921 creating Hurricane Pass and cleaving Hog Island into Honeymoon and Caladesi Islands, and 1985's Hurricane Elena sealing Dunedin Pass to join Caladesi with Clearwater Beach . Between the barrier islands and the peninsula are several bodies of water, through which traverses

651-620: 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. In the 2006 commission elections, Largo achieved two milestones furthering its former motto of "City of Progress". Democrat Patricia Gerard became

744-405: A new, larger facility and in 1974 local businessman John Jenkins donated five acres of land for the new library. On May 15, 1977, the new $ 1 million library opened under the direction of Barbara Murphey with 30,000 books present. In 1989 the facility expanded in size and totaled 250,000 volumes, serving an average of 1,500 visitors daily. In the middle of the 1990s concerns arose on how to deal with

837-582: A pilot program of home delivery of library materials. Largo, Florida Largo is the third largest city in Pinellas County, Florida , United States, as well as the fourth largest in the Tampa Bay area . As of the 2020 Census, the city had a population of 82,485, up from 77,648 in 2010 . Largo was first incorporated in 1905. In 1913, it became the first municipality in Pinellas County to adopt

930-628: A plantation near the site of the Tocobaga village in Safety Harbor. It was Philippe who first introduced both citrus culture and cigar -making to Florida. Around the same time, the United States Army began construction of Fort Harrison , named after William Henry Harrison , as a rest post for soldiers from nearby Fort Brooke during the Second Seminole War . The new fort was located on

1023-626: A rural farming community and became the third largest city in Florida's most densely populated county. Largo is a sister city to Tosayamada, Kōchi , Japan, and has been named a National Arbor Day Tree City for 35 years in a row as of 2023 . 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 . The Spanish came to Florida in

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1116-656: A section of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway . From north to south they are: St. Joseph Sound between the islands and Dunedin, Clearwater Harbor between Clearwater and Clearwater Beach, and Boca Ciega Bay in the southern third of the county. Connecting Clearwater Harbor to Boca Ciega Bay is a thin, approximately 3.5-mile (5.6 km) stretch of water known as The Narrows, which runs next to the town of Indian Shores. Extending from northeastern Boca Ciega Bay , Long Bayou separates Seminole from St. Petersburg near Bay Pines. Long Bayou once extended significantly farther up

1209-489: A small part of the mainland were incorporated into the new county. Aviation history was made in St. Petersburg on January 1, 1914, when Tony Jannus made the world's first scheduled commercial airline flight with the St. Petersburg–Tampa Airboat Line from St. Petersburg to Tampa. The popular open-air St. Petersburg concert venue Jannus Live (formerly known as Jannus Landing) memorializes

1302-605: A variety of classes and seminars to assist patrons with their genealogical research. In January 2019 the library launched the Largo Public Library Bookmobile Service. The bookmobile can carry approximately 2,500 items, latest DVD releases, audiobooks, and current bestsellers. In summer 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic the Library put a halt to its route of stop locations and instead transitioned to

1395-426: Is Hispanic or Latino of any race. In 2000, 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 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

1488-479: Is 17.8% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 30.8% from 45 to 64, and 21.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.3 years. For every 100 females there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 45,258, and the median income for a family was $ 58,335. Males had a median income of $ 41,537 versus $ 35,003 for females. The per capita income for

1581-513: Is Largo's neighbor to the north. To the northwest are the towns of Belleair and Belleair Bluffs . The city of Pinellas Park lies south of eastern Largo. Seminole 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 18.6 square miles (48.1 km ), of which 17.6 square miles (45.6 km )

1674-535: Is a list of all cities, towns, and census-designated places in Pinellas County, Florida. Source: 2010 Florida Census of Population and Housing As of the 2020 United States census , there were 959,107 people, 413,239 households, and 232,884 families residing in the county. U.S. Census Bureau 2010 Ethnic/Race Demographics: In 2010, 6.5% of the population considered themselves to be of only American ancestry (regardless of race or ethnicity.) There were 415,876 households, out of which 19.89% had children under

1767-506: 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. The years after World War II saw rapid growth as people began moving into

1860-424: 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

1953-446: Is in Largo. St. Patrick Catholic School has a campus on Trotter Road in Largo, providing a private education for grades Pre-K–8. Other private schools in the city include Veritas Academy . Largo is served by two international airports, Tampa International Airport and St. Petersburg–Clearwater International Airport . St. Petersburg–Clearwater Airport is located about 6 miles (9.7 km) east of downtown. Tampa International Airport

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2046-565: Is located about 20 miles (32 km) east of downtown on the other side of Tampa Bay. The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority provides bus service throughout Pinellas County and express service to Tampa. State Roads 686 and 688 pass through Largo to connect with Interstate 275 , which connects with I-75 . US 19 and US 19 Alternate run north–south through Largo. A grid of county roads connects Largo with its neighbors. Pinellas Public Library Cooperative Pinellas County ( US : / p ɪ ˈ n ɛ l ə s / , pih-NEL-əss )

2139-469: Is located on the west central coast of the U.S. state of Florida . As of the 2020 census , the population was 959,107, making it the seventh-most populous county in the state. It is also the most densely populated county in Florida, with 3,491 residents per square mile. The county is part of the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area . Clearwater is the county seat . St. Petersburg

2232-627: Is the largest city in the county, as well as the largest city in Florida that is not a county seat. When Europeans first reached the Pinellas peninsula, the Tampa Bay area was inhabited by people of the Safety Harbor culture . The Safety Harbor culture area was divided into chiefdoms . One documented chiefdom in what is now Pinellas County was that of the Tocobaga , who occupied a town and large temple mound,

2325-704: The American Civil War , many residents fought for the Confederate States of America . Brothers James and Daniel McMullen were members of the Confederate Cow Cavalry , driving Florida cattle to Georgia and the Carolinas to help sustain the war effort. John W. Marston served in the 9th Florida Regiment as a part of the Appomattox Campaign. Many other residents served in other capacities. Otherwise

2418-582: The Civil War , many Largo area residents fought for the Confederate States of America . James and Daniel McMullen were members of the "Cow Cavalry" driving Florida cattle to Georgia and the Carolinas 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 reached

2511-485: The Hospital Corporation of America (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 . According to the city's 2018 Community Development Division,

2604-487: The Orange Belt Railway was extended into the southern portion of the peninsula. Railroad owner Peter Demens named the town that grew near the railroad's terminus St. Petersburg in honor of his hometown . The town would incorporate in 1892. Other major towns in the county incorporated during this time were Clearwater (1891), Dunedin (1899), and Largo (1905). Construction of Fort De Soto , on Mullet Key facing

2697-455: The Safety Harbor site , overlooking the bay in what is now Safety Harbor . The modern site is protected and can be visited as part of the County's Philippe Park . During the early 16th century Spanish explorers discovered and slowly began exploring Florida, including Tampa Bay. In 1528 Pánfilo de Narváez landed in Pinellas , and 10 years later Hernando de Soto is thought to have explored

2790-513: The Tampa Bay area . By the early 18th century the Tocobaga had been virtually annihilated, having fallen victim to European diseases from which they had no immunity, as well as European conflicts . Later Spanish explorers named the area Punta Piñal (Spanish for "Point of Pines" or "Piney Point"). After trading hands multiple times between the British and the Spanish , Spain finally ceded Florida to

2883-605: The blue jay , mockingbird , and crow . Ospreys are a commonly seen bird-of-prey , with other birds of prey like turkey vultures , red tailed hawks , great horned owls , screech owls , barn owls , and bald eagles , among others, seen as well. Gopher tortoises are found in many areas, the burrows they dig making them a keystone species . Coyotes , though often associated with the American West, are native-to and can be found in Pinellas. White-tailed deer , wild turkeys , bobcats , otters , and alligators can be found in

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2976-459: The wild boar , which poses significant health and agricultural problems in Florida and can sometimes be found in Pinellas, and the monk parakeet , small flocks of which can sometimes be seen in flight or building nests on electrical poles or telecommunications towers. There is also a large flock of feral peacocks residing in St. Petersburg's Jungle Terrace, Jungle Prada and Disston Heights neighborhoods. Pinellas gained some national attention as

3069-520: The "Top 10 Bridges" in the World by the Travel Channel . The county operates a 21-acre (8.5 ha) living history museum called Heritage Village containing more than 28 historic structures, some dating back to the 19th century, where visitors can experience what life was once like in Pinellas. Pinellas County celebrated 100 years of existence on January 1, 2012. According to the U.S. Census Bureau ,

3162-459: 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

3255-409: The 1950s, Largo determined the need for a new library facility and town hall and began the project in 1960. December 15, 1961 the groundbreaking took place for the $ 36,000 new library and Ms. Helene Tilly served as the head librarian upon opening of the facility. By 1968, the current facility on West Bay Drive expanded and contained around 14,000 books. However, the city thereafter determined the need for

3348-428: The 1960s largely transformed Largo into a bedroom community . Electronics, 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 healthcare industry continues to grow to meet the needs of an aging population. Hospitals are among the area's strongest employers. Largo Medical Center , owned by

3441-628: The Bomb-a-Dears, holding dances, socializing with recruits, and selling war bonds. After the war many of these same soldiers remembered their wartime experience in Pinellas well, and returned as tourists or residents. With the end of the Second World War, Pinellas would enter another period of rapid growth and development. In 1954 the original span of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge was opened, replacing earlier ferry service. By 1957 Clearwater

3534-482: 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. Pinellas County Schools operates

3627-486: The City of Largo has a humid subtropical climate zone ( Cfa ). Most of the rainfall comes in the summer, when the sea breeze carries moisture from the Gulf inland. Largo's record low is 22 °F (−6 °C), recorded on December 13, 1962. Largo's record high is 100 °F (38 °C), recorded on July 5, 1995. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 82,485 people, 36,926 households, and 18,727 families residing in

3720-682: The Intracoastal Waterway. The McKay Creek basin is prone to flooding. Largo is located on the Pinellas Peninsula, so that its climate is moderated by its proximity to the Gulf of Mexico 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. According to the Köppen climate classification ,

3813-492: The Pinellas Genealogy Society (PGS) to provide a permanent home for maps, magazines, journals, CD-ROMs, microfiche , microfilm , U.S. Census records, numerous Pinellas County cemetery records and obituaries and over 10,000 genealogy related books. In addition patrons have access through the library catalog to many genealogical research databases. Members of PGS also provide one-on-one instruction, research help and

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3906-493: The Tampa Bay estuary and numerous gulf seagrass beds. The county also maintains several artificial reefs . Numerous bird species can be sighted in Pinellas, either as permanent residents or during the winter migration, including wading birds like great blue herons , egrets , white ibises and roseate spoonbills , aquatic birds like brown pelicans , white pelicans , and cormorants , numerous species of shorebirds , and very-common birds like seagulls and passerines like

3999-604: The Teen Room. An ideaLAB with a 3D printer has been added outside the Teen Room as a place to develop creative ideas and explore new technology. The ideaLAB has not only a 3D printer , but also iPads , MacBook Pro laptops, Lego Mindstorms EV3 , and a variety of Mac software and iPad apps . All of these services are free to use at the Largo Public Library. They also host gaming, entertainment, literary events and programs for adults, teens and children. Specialized collections and resource centers are also available for patron use in

4092-480: The United States in 1821, and in 1823 the U.S. Army established Fort Brooke (later Tampa ). In 1834 much of west central Florida, including the Pinellas peninsula (then known simply as West Hillsborough ), was organized as Hillsborough County . The very next year Odet Philippe , a French Huguenot from Charleston, South Carolina became the first permanent, non-native resident of the peninsula when he established

4185-419: The age of 18 living with them, 40.33% were married couples living together, 11.86% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.67% were non-families. 35.42% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.14% (4.53% male and 10.61% female) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.79. The age distribution

4278-604: 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 9 ⁄ 16 of a square mile (1.5 km ). By 1982, Largo had grown to about 13 square miles (34 km ) and to about 19 square miles (48 km ) 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

4371-509: 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". 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 ranches , and hog farms , as well as turpentine stills and sawmills . Largo

4464-404: The area. During the war, the area's tourist industry collapsed, but thousands of recruits came to the area when the U.S. military decided to use the area for training. Area hotels became barracks. The Vinoy Park Hotel was used as an Army training school. The area's women and girls participated in the war effort as well. Hundreds of girls from the area's most prominent families formed a group called

4557-613: The city and a glimpse of the peninsula's original state. Geologically, Pinellas is underlain by a series of limestone formations, the Hawthorne limestone and the Tampa limestone . The limestone is porous and stores a large quantity of water. The Hawthorne formation forms a prominent ridge down the spine of the county, from east of Dunedin, south to the Walsingham area and east towards St. Petersburg. The 35 miles of beaches and dunes which make up

4650-637: The city manager and approves the city manager's appointments for city attorney, assistant city manager, and city clerk. 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

4743-501: 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

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4836-547: The city's public K–12 schools. The school district's administrative headquarters are located in Largo. The city's high school students attend Largo High School . The school mascot is the razorback boar, and the school athletic teams 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 middle school students attend Largo Middle School. The main campus of Schiller International University

4929-471: The city. As of the 2010 United States census , there were 77,648 people, 36,806 households, and 19,575 families residing in the city. In 2010, there were 36,806 households, out of which 16.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.2% were married couples 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

5022-407: The city. The population density was 4,429.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,710.1/km ). There were 40,261 housing units at an average density of 2,570.5 per square mile (992.5/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 92.71% White , 2.69% African American , 0.34% Native American , 1.69% Asian , 0.08% Pacific Islander , 0.99% from other races , and 1.49% from two or more races. 4.18% of the population

5115-483: The clock tower was replaced with a small garden area in order to incorporate the area into Largo Central Park. Largo is located at 27°54′30″N 82°46′40″W  /  27.90833°N 82.77778°W  / 27.90833; -82.77778 (27.908355, −82.777791). It is centrally located in Pinellas County, touching the Intracoastal Waterway to the southwest and Tampa Bay to the northeast. Clearwater

5208-424: The community on April 7, 1916. Marie Allen, was paid $ 2 weekly to serve as Largo's first librarian. Jennie Danforth Judkins, a strong Largo Library advocate, served as the library's second librarian. Such was her dedication to the library that a local legend developed that Mrs. Judkins read every book that was added to the library's collection before it was placed on the shelf. Due to the bustling population growth of

5301-417: The county as well. Sea turtles nest on the shores or Pinellas' barrier islands and have been threatened by development. Offshore, dolphins , sharks , and manatees are numerous as well, while closer inshore stingrays are a common sight, leading those in-the-know to do the "stingray shuffle" (shuffling up the sand to scare nearby stingrays off) when entering gulf waters. Species of fish commonly caught in

5394-522: The county has a total area of 608 square miles (1,570 km ), of which 274 square miles (710 km ) is land and 334 square miles (870 km ) (55.0%) is water. It is the second-smallest county in Florida by land area, larger than only Union County . Pinellas forms a peninsula bounded on the west by the Gulf of Mexico and on the south and east by Tampa Bay . It is 38 miles (61 km) long and 15 miles (24 km) wide at its broadest point, with 587 miles (945 km) of coastline. Elevation in

5487-499: The county ranges from mean sea level to its highest natural point of 110 feet (34 m) near the intersection of SR 580 and Countryside Blvd. in Clearwater. Due to its small size and high population, by the early 21st century Pinellas County has been mostly built out , with very little developable land left available. The county has maintained a fairly large system of parks and preserves that provide residents and visitors retreat from

5580-482: The county seat, across the bay in Tampa, was generally an overnight affair and the automobiles that existed on the peninsula at that time would frequently become bogged down in the muck after rainstorms. Angry at what was perceived as neglect by the county government, residents of Pinellas began a push to secede from Hillsborough. They succeeded, and on January 1, 1912, Pinellas County came into being. The peninsula, along with

5673-884: The county was $ 28,742. About 8.1% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line , including 17.7% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those aged 65 or over. In 2010, 11.2% of the county's population was foreign born , with 50.3% being naturalized American citizens . Of foreign-born residents, 33.6% were born in Europe , 32.1% were born in Latin America , 20.9% born in Asia , 9.8% in North America , 3.0% born in Africa , and 0.6% were born in Oceania . As of 2000, there were 921,482 people, 414,968 households, and 243,171 families residing in

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5766-409: The county's 11 barrier islands provide habitat for coastal species, serve as critical storm protection for the inland communities, and form the basis of the area's thriving tourism industry. The islands are dynamic, with wave action building some islands further up, eroding others, and forming entirely new islands over time. Though hurricanes are infrequent on this part of Florida's coast, they have had

5859-445: The county's average temperatures. St. Petersburg, further south on the peninsula, tends to have warmer daily average lows (by about 3 degrees) than areas such as Dunedin and Palm Harbor further north, though daily highs are very close. The north of the county also has fewer overall days of rain, but higher total annual precipitation when measured in inches, the county's south being prone to shorter, more frequent thunderstorms especially in

5952-476: The county. The population density was 1,271/km (3,292/sq mi), making it the most densely populated county in Florida. There were 481,573 housing units at an average density of 1,720 per square mile (660/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 85.85% White (82.8% were Non-Hispanic White ,) 8.96% Black or African American , 0.30% Native American , 2.06% Asian , 0.05% Pacific Islander , 1.14% from other races , and 1.64% from two or more races. 4.64% of

6045-521: The current library opened in 2005, patrons were able use RFID technology at four self check-out stations located on the first floor. This option is crucial to serving the huge influx of visitors that the library continues to assist each year. Starting in January 2008, library patrons had the added convenience of a full service drive-through window for returning materials, picking up hold requests and other library related transactions. The Drive-Through enables

6138-541: The direction of Casey McPhee and more than doubled the size of the previous facility. Within the first year of opening the library hired 72 staff, had 200 volunteers, welcomed more than 558,000 visitors, circulated 683,000 items, had 28,000 workshop attendees, and answered 85,000 reference questions. Largo Public Library has a long history of "firsts" in technology; it was the first library in Pinellas County to use barcodes (1994) and then radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology to check patron materials in and out. When

6231-465: The flight. The early 1920s saw the beginning of a land boom in much of Florida, including Pinellas. During this period municipalities issued a large number of bonds to keep pace with the needed infrastructure, such as roads and bridges. The travel time to Tampa was cut in half—from 43 to 19 miles (69 to 31 km)—by the opening of the Gandy Bridge in 1924, along the same route Jannus' airline used. It

6324-605: The form of the English Language Learning Center, e-Government resources and Genealogy collection. The library offers services beyond the physical library through the library's eBranch link. This link is the gateway to a wide variety of e-content including books, music, magazines, streaming video and databases. Largo Public Library is designated as the center for genealogical research for the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative and partners with

6417-582: The home of the Mystery Monkey of Tampa Bay , a non-native, feral rhesus macaque that had been on the loose for approximately three years in the south of the county. No one was sure where the monkey came from, and a Facebook page set up for the monkey had over 84,000 likes (as of October 2012). The monkey was the subject of a sketch on the March 11, 2010, episode of the Colbert Report . As of February 2012,

6510-443: The issue of an awkward parking lot entrance, but quickly morphed into the suggestion of a new library facility. After collecting funding from sales-tax through the "Penny for Pinellas" tax initiative, the new facility opened on July 31, 2005. Also to help clearly define the overall goal of the institution within the community the official name of the facility was changed to Largo Public Library. The 90,300 square foot library opened under

6603-594: The late summer. Freezing temperatures occur only every 2–3 years, with freezing precipitation occurring extremely rarely . Springs are usually short, mild, and dry, with occasional late-season cold fronts. Summertime weather is very consistent, with highs in the low 90s °F (around 32 °C), lows in the mid-70s °F (around 24 °C), accompanied by high humidity and an almost daily chance of afternoon thundershowers. The area experiences significant rainfall during its summer months (approximately May through October), with nearly two-thirds of annual precipitation falling between

6696-442: The library started at the large Camphor Tree located at the center of downtown where residents left donations. Serving as a "Christmas Giving Tree", residents left books, magazines, wood and other furnishings to help establish the first library of Largo. These donations were placed in the first library facility located in a downstairs room of the original, wood frame Town Hall building with a total of 560 books which officially opened to

6789-460: The library to serve a diverse group including the elderly, parents of young children and the mobility challenged. In 2013 the library upgraded its RFID system to comply with current standards and also added an automatic materials handler, which checks in and sorts materials. These additions have enabled Largo Public Library staff to re-focus on customer service and programming for their community, despite budget cuts that reduced staffing levels during

6882-445: 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 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

6975-514: The monkey had apparently taken up semi-permanent residence behind a family's home at an undisclosed location in St. Petersburg, according to the Tampa Bay Times . Efforts to capture the monkey were reignited after it reportedly bit a woman living near where it had taken up residence, and the monkey was captured in late October 2012 and eventually was sent to live at Dade City's Wild Things, a 22-acre (8.9 ha) zoo north of Tampa. Pinellas, like

7068-516: The months of June and September. The area is occasionally affected by tropical storms and hurricanes, but has not suffered a direct hit since 1921 . Fall, like spring, is usually mild and dry, with the hurricane season extending through November and sometimes affecting the area. Many portions of south Pinellas, especially near the bay and gulf, have tropical microclimates. Tropical trees such as coconut palms and royal palms and fruit trees like mangoes grow very well in these microclimates. The following

7161-482: The mouth of Tampa Bay, was begun in 1898 during the Spanish–American War to protect Tampa Bay from potential invading forces. The fort, a subpost of Fort Dade on adjacent Egmont Key (which lies in the mouth of Tampa Bay), was equipped with artillery and mortar batteries. Even into the early years of the 20th century, West Hillsborough had no paved roads, and transportation posed a major challenge. A trip to

7254-660: The peninsula as well as the site of its first post office. The Armed Occupation Act , passed in 1842, encouraged further settlement of Pinellas, like all of Florida, by offering 160 acres (0.65 km ) to anyone who would bear arms and cultivate the land. Pioneer families like the Booths, the Coachmans, the Marstons, and the McMullens established homesteads in the area in the years following, planting more citrus groves and raising cattle. During

7347-551: The peninsula had virtually no significance during the war, and the war largely passed the area by. On September 27, 1848, a strong hurricane struck the West Coast of Florida. It separated the barrier island on the coast and created a waterway known today as John's Pass. John Levique, along with Joseph Silva, was the one who discovered it and named it after himself and is now a federally owned canal. Tarpon Springs became West Hillsborough's first incorporated city in 1887, and in 1888

7440-459: The peninsula until the northern portion was sealed off to create Lake Seminole . Extending further still from Long Bayou, the Cross Bayou Canal traverses the peninsula, crossing Pinellas Park in a northeasterly direction before emptying into Tampa Bay on the northwest side of St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport . Source: Boyd Hill Nature Preserve : A 245-acre (99 ha) park on

7533-444: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 414,968 households, out of which 22.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.80% were married couples living together, 10.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.40% were non-families. 34.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

7626-659: The recession. This shift in focus was rewarded in 2018 when Largo Public Library was named The Florida Library Association Library of the Year. The Largo Public Library offers a diverse collection of materials available for checkout including DVDs, CDs, books, audiobooks, e-books, and videos. Through collaboration with the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative , the library offers a variety of digital content for check out from an e-reader or computer device through OverDrive 's Libby platform. The physical library has computers for use, as well as study rooms, reference services, Children's Wing and

7719-406: The rest of the Tampa Bay area, has a humid subtropical climate , resulting in warm, humid summers with frequent thunderstorms, and drier winters. Pinellas County's geographic position- lying on a peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico introduces large amounts of humidity into the atmosphere and serves to moderate temperatures. The geography of the peninsula also causes some variance in

7812-916: The shores of Lake Maggiore in south St. Petersburg, operated by the city and featuring a nature center, bird-of-prey aviary, and over three miles of trails through a variety of ecosystems. Hillsborough County extends along the shipping channel towards Egmont Key and into the Gulf of Mexico, separating Pinellas County from Manatee County. Several natural communities exist within the county, including areas of freshwater wetlands (dominated by bald cypresses and ferns), coastal mangrove swamps, sporadic hardwood hammocks (dominated by laurel oaks and live oaks , cabbage palms , and southern magnolias ), low-lying, poorly drained pine flatwoods (dominated by longleaf pines and saw palmettos ), and well-drained, upland sandhills (dominated by longleaf pines and turkey oaks ) and sand pine scrub (dominated by sand pines , saw palmettos, and various oaks). Offshore ecosystems include

7905-481: The top employers in the city are: The Largo Public Library 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 5 acres (2 ha) of donated land. Following an expansion in 1989, the library held 250,000 items. Largo Public Library's current building was built in 2005. The City of Largo

7998-621: The waters surrounding the county include spotted seatrout , red drum or redfish, snook , pompano , sheepshead , Spanish mackerel , grouper , mullet , flounder , kingfish , and tarpon . Like much of Florida, Pinellas County is home to several invasive species that propagate easily outside their (and their natural predators') native range. Examples of commonly seen invasives include Brazilian pepper , water hyacinth , Australian pine , melaleuca and air potato . These species are considered serious pests, and varying methods have been tried to eradicate them. Examples of invasive animals include

8091-413: Was 1.99 and the average family size was 2.59. In 2000, 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. As of 2000, the median income for

8184-541: Was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.77. In the county, the population was spread out, with 19.30% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 27.30% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 22.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 91.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.80 males. In 2000, 87.8% of persons age 25 or above were high school graduates, slightly above Florida's average of 84.9% for Florida. 26.7% of persons age 25 or above held

8277-436: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.02 and the average family size was 2.67. In 2010, 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 of 2000, there were 69,371 people, 34,041 households, and 18,382 families residing in

8370-474: Was America's fastest growing city. Tragedy struck on May 9, 1980, when the southbound span of the original Sunshine Skyway Bridge was struck by the freighter MV Summit Venture during a storm, sending over 1,200 feet (370 m) of the bridge plummeting into Tampa Bay. The collision caused seven personal vehicles and a Greyhound bus to fall 150 feet (46 m) into the water, killing 35 people. The new bridge opened in 1987 and has since been listed as #3 of

8463-456: Was land and 0.97 square miles (2.5 km ), or 5.22%, was water. As of 2004, there were 651 acres (2.6 km ) of park lands. The city's lowest elevation is sea level. At its highest, the city's elevation is about 69 feet (21 m). Largo is dotted with a number of lakes, the largest of which is Taylor Lake at 53 acres (210,000 m ). Allen's Creek drains northeast Largo, flowing into Tampa Bay. McKay Creek flows through southwest Largo into

8556-622: Was the longest automobile toll bridge in the world at the time. Prohibition was unpopular in the area and the peninsula's inlets and islands were used by rum-runners bringing in liquor from Cuba. Others distilled moonshine in the County's still plentiful woods. As was the case in much of Florida, the Great Depression came early to Pinellas with the collapse of the real estate boom in 1926. Local economies came into severe difficulties, and by 1930, St. Petersburg defaulted on its bonds. Only after World War II would significant growth return to

8649-492: 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 included the families of James and Daniel McMullen, around 1852. The McMullens and other settlers raised cattle, grew citrus and vegetables and fished. During

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