Ferris Wheels & Elephants in Front Yards Were Legal in This Florida Town for Circus Performers

Where the Circus Came to Stay

Most Florida towns cater to retirees with golf carts. This one welcomed circus freaks, strongmen, and human oddities who needed a place to call normal.

Lobster Boy lived here. So did the World’s Smallest Woman. It was a refuge where they were just regular folks, not attractions.

Here’s the true story of America’s most interesting retirement town.

Gibsonton, Florida

Gibsonton sits along the Alafia River just south of Tampa in Hillsborough County, Florida.

Locals call it “Gibtown,” a winter haven for carnival and circus performers throughout much of the 20th century.

When traveling shows closed for the season, performers came here to rest among people who understood their uncommon lives.

A Very Different Beginning

Gibsonton stayed a quiet fishing village for decades. Many worked at a local lumber company, cutting timber from surrounding forests.

Eddie LeMay’s Fifteen-Minute Fish

Everything changed in 1924 when Eddie and Grace LeMay’s trailer stopped beside the Alafia River. The couple ran a cookhouse that traveled with carnivals, feeding workers and visitors.

Eddie tossed a fishing line into the river during a break from their journey south. Within fifteen minutes, he caught enough fish for dinner. The quick catch convinced the LeMays that Gibsonton might make a perfect home.

By 1929, they built Eddie’s Hut, part general store, part bar and restaurant. The spot became a gathering place where they urged carnival friends to join them in Gibsonton during off-season months.

Zoning For Elephants And Ferris Wheels

Carnival workers settled in Gibsonton throughout the 1940s and 1950s. The town created “Residential Business Zoning” laws for their unusual needs.

These rules allowed people to keep carnival equipment, rides, and exotic animals on their home property.

Nowhere else in America could residents legally park a Ferris wheel in their front yard. Homeowners kept elephants, tigers, and other performance animals at their houses.

This practical solution helped carnival workers maintain equipment and care for animals during off-season.

The Giant And The Half-Girl

Al and Jeanie Tomaini became Gibsonton’s most prominent citizens. Al stood 7’4″ tall due to gigantism. Jeanie, born without legs, measured only 2’6″ tall and performed as “The Half-Girl.”

The couple met on the carnival circuit and married in 1936. They toured billed as “The World’s Strangest Married Couple” before settling in Gibsonton in the early 1940s. They opened Giant’s Camp along the Alafia River.

The business included a restaurant, fishing camp, and trailer park. Al jumped into civic affairs. He donated the town’s first ambulance, helped build the community hall, and served as both volunteer fire chief and deputy sheriff until his death in 1962.

The Monkey Girl And Alligator-Skinned Man

Percilla and Emmitt Bejano moved to Gibsonton in the 1950s. Percilla had hypertrichosis, causing thick hair growth over her entire body, earning her the name “The Monkey Girl.” Emmitt suffered from ichthyosis, which made his skin thick, dry, and scaly.

He performed as “The Alligator-Skinned Man.” They bought property in Gibsonton and named it P.E.T. Ranch after adopting their son Tony in 1960. The name stood for Percilla, Emmitt, and Tony.

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, they ran their own show as the Bejano Family with Gooding Amusements. Later they joined James E. Strates Shows in the 1970s.

A Town Of Remarkable Public Officials

Gibsonton employed a giant as fire chief while a little person headed the police department. Johann K. Petursson, “The Viking Giant,” stood 7’8″ tall, making him the tallest person in town.

“Colonel” Casper Belsam, just 36″ tall, served as Gibsonton’s police chief from 1949 until the early 1960s. He formed a close friendship with Al Tomaini, and together they kept order in town.

Jeanie Tomaini worked as a postmistress. The local post office installed a special counter at a height accessible for little people. This accommodation showed the town’s commitment to serving all its residents.

Showmen Establish Their Club

Carnival workers created the International Independent Showmen’s Association in 1966. Known as the “Gibtown Showmen’s Club,” this non-profit group served people in the outdoor amusement industry.

The club expanded over decades, becoming the largest showmen’s association in the United States. Today, membership tops 4,500 people from across America and several foreign countries.

The organization supported carnival workers, addressing their specific needs and preserving their heritage. This formal association strengthened Gibsonton’s identity as America’s carnival capital.

The Lobster Boy Murder Case

Gibsonton faced unwanted national attention in 1992 when Grady “Lobster Boy” Stiles Jr. was murdered. Stiles had ectrodactyly, a genetic condition causing his hands and feet to form claw-like appendages.

On November 29, seventeen-year-old neighbor Chris Wyant entered Stiles’ trailer and shot him in the head. Investigators discovered Stiles’ wife Mary had paid Wyant $1,500 for the killing.

The trial revealed that Mary Stiles, her son Harry Glenn Newman III, and Wyant had plotted to kill Stiles after years of physical abuse. This case exposed tensions within Gibsonton’s tight community and brought unwelcome media attention to the town.

Preserving Carnival History

The International Independent Showmen’s Museum now safeguards Gibsonton’s carnival heritage. The 52,000-square-foot building holds an extensive collection of carnival and traveling show artifacts.

Visitors see one of America’s first Ferris wheels, fully assembled inside. The museum displays vintage show wagons and costumes worn by famous performers. One notable item is a costume worn by burlesque dancer Gypsy Rose Lee.

Thousands of photographs document carnival setups through the years. Special focus goes to carnival transportation and Gibsonton’s role in carnival history.

America’s Largest Carnival Trade Show

Every February, Gibsonton hosts the Super Extravaganza and Trade Show. This gathering stands as the largest event of its kind in the carnival industry. Started in the late 1960s, the trade show has operated for over 55 years.

More than 300 exhibitors come to display everything carnival operators need: rides, food equipment, concession trailers, electrical supplies, insurance services, novelty items, and more.

The trade show remains mostly volunteer-operated despite its size and importance. This annual event continues Gibsonton’s tradition as the heart of the carnival community.

Visiting Gibsonton

It’s not the sideshow capital it used to be, but Gibtown is still worth a visit.

The International Independent Showmen’s Museum opens Saturday and Sunday from 12-5 PM. Find it at 6938 Riverview Drive in Riverview, Florida, just minutes from Gibsonton.

Gibsonton’s Al Tomaini Boot Monument stands along Highway 41 near the Alafia River. This replica of the Giant’s size-25 boot commemorates one of the town’s most beloved citizens.

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