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It has been a lulu of a century for city

Largo begins its yearlong party to celebrate its heritage and history . . . and to give thanks for its name.

LARGO - In 1905, grove owners and shopkeepers in the citrus community just a few miles from the coast got together for a vote.

They had an important decision to make.

What should they name their new town?

One resident had a suggestion: Name it Luluville after his daughter, Lulu Diffenworth.

Another man, Rufus McMullen, wanted to name it Largo, after Lake Largo (the name in music terms means slow and peaceful), which has since been drained.

"Thank God Rufus won out," said Elmer Williams, the president of the Largo Historical Society.

And with that, Largo was incorporated. The new town was only 1 square mile.

To honor that and a century of other historic occasions, Largo will kick off its yearlong Centennial Celebration with the Heart of Largo Festival Saturday night.

It features live entertainment by the local band Breezin', fireworks, historical displays, horse drawn carriage rides, hayrides, entertainment from bygone eras and an antique car show.

"Cracker Country from the Florida State Fair will have three to four displays," said Krista Pincince, Largo's special events coordinator. "Heritage Village has provided docents to do caning and rug weaving."

The event will take place in Largo Central Park, the land early settlers used as a fairgrounds area.

"I think people will learn a lot about their community," Pincince said. "It has an historical theme looking at the past 100 years."

It is the first of 100 events planned through 2005. They include a treasure hunt, golf tournament, pumpkin carving, jamboree and the grand opening of the new library.

During the festival the Old Feed Store will be a minimuseum.

"We'll have clothes, a hat from Largo's first band, the Largo Boys Band, which played in 1915, wagon wheels, old tools, saws and wrenches," Williams said.

Williams, who came to Largo in 1952 when there were still miles of orange groves and children went to school barefoot, knows its history well.

"It was a small town," he said. "According to the census, the population (in 1905) was a little less than 300. It's 70,000 today."

If you see him, ask him about Largo's past.

He'll tell you the first car came to the town in 1907. It was owned by Marion Wheeler Ulmer, who had 20,000 acres with turpentine stills and lumber yards.

And about the first "high-rise building."

"It was three stories on what is now East Bay Drive," Williams said. "It was owned by John Taylor."

The grapefruit and orange groves started disappearing after a hard freeze in 1962 with temperatures below 20 degrees for three days, and Largo started to change drastically.

"Understanding where you came from helps you know where you are going," he said.

- Eileen Schulte can be reached at 727 445-4153 or schulte@sptimes.com

The Heart of Largo Festival celebrating the city's first 100 years takes place from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday at Largo Central Park. The event offers entertainment, historical displays, horse-drawn carriage rides, hayrides, demonstrations, antique cars and a 15-minute fireworks display. Bring a blanket or lawn chair. Admission is free.