Gibsonton, a former retirement community of circus performers, honors 7-foot-4 husband and 2-foot-6 wife for their civic leadership | The Guardian
Gibsonton, a former retirement community of circus performers, honors 7-foot-4 husband and 2-foot-6 wife for their civic leadership | The Guardian
From March 28, 2023 Post.
Gibsonton, a former retirement community of circus performers, honors 7-foot-4 husband and 2-foot-6 wife for their civic leadership
About 10 miles south of Tampa, hugging the east side of Hillsborough Bay, is the small unincorporated community of Gibsonton, sometimes referred to as "Gibtown" or the "Sideshow Capital of the World." Gibsonton's claim to fame is that it was once a haven for circus and carnival professionals, who often wintered there during the off season. Many even made it their permanent home.
To accommodate its unique residents, special zoning laws allowed people to keep exotic animals, circus trailers, trapeze equipment, and carnival rides in their front yards. Decades ago, the post office had a low counter to accommodate the locals with dwarfism.
It's in Gibsonton that a monument stands in honor of the area's most civic-minded, and perhaps unique, couple - Al and Jeanie Tomaini.
Original source can be found here.
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