Preserving history amid growth

Heritage Park Foundation wants to make sure Land O'Lakes' rural past doesn't disappear.

By ERIN SULLIVAN, Times Staff Writer
Published September 29, 2007

LAND O'LAKES - Few of the members of a group that wants to save Land O'Lakes' history were actually born in the area. Most of the members are transplants from up North, like the majority of people around here, and they still have their nasal accents and quick vocal pace.

But they've lived here for a while, 10 years, 50 years, long enough to be nostalgic for how it used to be, the dirt roads and citrus groves and how there was one grocery store and you couldn't go without seeing a bunch of people you knew. If you needed to make it a quick trip, you'd have to be sneaky and go late. Otherwise, it'd take at least an hour or so.

"When I came here, 54 was nothing but pine trees," said Gloria Kasouf, 74, who has been in Central Pasco for 29 years.

"We saw how quickly everything was getting developed and we were concerned about losing our history," said Kurt Conover, who grew up in New Port Richey and has lived in Land O'Lakes for 14 years. He is a member and past president of the Heritage Park Foundation, a group that has been in existence for a decade, but is trying to renew it's campaign for a museum and historical site cherishing Central Pasco's history.

They had a meeting at the Land O'Lakes Community Center Thursday night and a few dozen people showed up. The county owns the land where the Community Center sits and plans are in the works to revamp it.

The Foundation wants to make sure it gets a piece of that.

President Tim Hayes said the group's vision includes a museum of artifacts from Central Pasco's history. He also said the group wants to relocate historic buildings and move them to the center's land, to create a sort of walking tour through the past.

He also welcomed descendants of the area's pioneering families to join to crusade to celebrate Central Pasco's history.

"We want to preserve the history and flavor of the community," Hayes said.

Erin Sullivan can be reached at esullivan@sptimes.com or 813 909-4609.

Heritage Park Foundation

If you are interested in this organization, call the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce at (813) 909-2722 or Heritage Park Foundation president Tim Hayes at (813) 949-6525. They are looking for members and also people with long ties to the community, who might be able to share the history of the area or who have items to donate to the planned museum.

[Last modified September 28, 2007, 20:28:12]