Gibsonton

Gibsonton, Florida

Gibsonton, Florida, also affectionately known as Showtown USA by those in-the-know in the outdoor amusement industry, is considered the "Holy Grail" of carnival fans; the area called "Gibtown" by fans and locals has inspired books, fan-zines and even a documentary movie of the same name. Why all the fuss? The community of Gibsonton, bordered by Tampa Bay on the west and U.S. 41 on the east, has unique zoning laws that allow carnival performers to keep carnival booths, rides and animals on their property – thus it's not extraordinary to awake in the morning to elephants, lions and cotton candy or other colorful carnival booths on your neighbors' lawns. The community, on 13-square miles and with a population of around 18,000, lies just south of the Alafia River—eight miles southeast of Tampa and eight miles southwest of Brandon, as the crow flies.

Residents today are torn as to what Gibsonton's future will hold—some believe the area's "carny" past—and its "carny" future—is and will be responsible for helping the community retain modest growth in an area where growth and even overgrowth are oft-cited woes. Others, however, say "what's past is past"; they call Gibsonton "up and coming," with friendly people, excellent schools and many aesthetic improvements underway, including landscaped gateways and attractive medians. People seeking growth also tend to want to repeal the carnival zoning laws and spruce up the rundown trailer-home areas, which they believe will help the area to appreciate in value. It appears that growth and improvement may win in Gibsonton as it has in other areas in the region as well: the Gibsonton Community Plan calls for new, single-family home residential areas, a revitalization of older residential areas and outdated mobile home parks, a Riverwalk and several nature preservation areas.

Gibsonton was named in 1926 after James Gibson, a settler who, in the 1880s, bought 150 acres at the mouth of the Alafia River. Before being known as Gibsonton, the community was at various times called Garden City, Adamsville and "The Kitchen" for the bountiful supply of fish, oyster and other seafood provided by Tampa Bay. In the 1940s, the 8'4" giant Al Tomaini and his wife Jeanie the half-girl, a 2'6" woman born without legs, stopped in Gibsonton while touring with the circus. The Tomaini's found the land plentiful and affordable and so decided to stay—and other sideshow personalities quickly followed suit. Over the years, Gibsonton was home to innumerable dwarves and many famous performers, including Percilla the Monkey Girl, the Lobster Boy and the Human Blockhead, the last of Gibsonton's famous performers who died in 2001. Because the carnival zoning laws still exist so, too, do circus performers, who continue to winter and retire in Gibsonton despite the slow demise of circus-type entertainment with the birth of the electronic world.

Homes in Gibsonton

The Gibsonton Community Plan speaks warmly of life in Gibsonton:

The average Gibsonton home sells for $220,000. Tanglewood Preserve is a quiet new-home community with 242 homes, most oversized, most on conservation areas or ponds; homes in the neighborhood, with its own private park and play area, range from the $230s to the mid $300s. Magnolia Trails is a cozy neighborhood with homes in the $150s to the $320s; Tuscany Bay, a gated community with a pool and clubhouse, offers townhomes starting in the $170s. Other neighborhoods in Gibsonton include the Kings Lake subdivision, East Bay Lakes, South Bay Lakes and Gibsonton on the Bay.

Gibsonton Schools

Children in Gibsonton attend Corr Elementary, an "A" school, Gibsonton Elementary, Eisenhower Middle and East Bay High schools. East Bay is one of four Hillsborough County schools to receive a Smaller Learning communities Grant from the U.S. Department of Education. With the grant, East Bay has become a career academy, offering small learning communities that focus on career themes, with studies in an Academy of Fine Arts, Academy of Natural Resources, a Professional Services Academy and School of Communications Technology.

Shopping and Dining in Gibsonton

Most Gibtown folk drive to nearby Brandon, Riverview or Tampa for an expansive list of dining and shopping options—such as the Westfield mall in Brandon or Hyde Park Village and Westshore Plaza in Tampa. A new Applebee’s and McDonald’s opened down the road in Apollo Beach in 2007. Within town, try the Tropicana Bar, a Gibtown fixture on US 41 since 1961—you'll know you're arrived when you see the Tropicana's colorful mural with views of the tropics and local sports. Or, drop by Showtown USA, a sports bar on the corner of US 41 and Mott Road—this one you'll know by its colorful murals of carnival and circus life; the murals, when first painted, were too risqué to be considered family fare and so were repainted quickly to portray the more acceptable murals you see today. River's Edge Lounge is another local favorite; on Ohio Avenue, this rustic riverfront bar and grill caters to bikers and boaters alike.

Leisure and Play in Gibsonton

There's lots to do in and around Gibsonton! Being home to the International Independent Showmen's Association, Gibsonton is host to the week-long "super trade show extravaganza" for the circus, amusement and carnival industry. It is also home to East Bay Speedway on Burts Road—a 1/3 mile oval dirt track where many races and events take place throughout the year.

For more quiet enjoyment, head over to Williams Park on Riverview Drive. With picnic areas and public boat ramps, Williams Park is considered one of the top freshwater fishing locales in the Tampa-St. Pete area. Or try the Gardenville Recreation Center and Park on Symmes Road, with its new $1.6 million facility, after school programs, and outdoor sports galore.

Gibsonton is also home to Bird and Sunken Isles, two manmade islands that, when formed in the 1920s by dredging at the mouth of the Alafia River, became an important nesting site for gulls, terns and skimmers. Today the islands are known as the Richard Paul Sanctuary; they are owned by the local phosphate company and leased to the Audubon Society for $1 a year. Up to 18,000 pairs of up to 20 species of birds nest there, making the Paul Sanctuary one of the largest colonies in Florida and one of the most diverse in the continental United States. The Sanctuary is, at this writing, only available to local schools although there is talk of opening the area for public enjoyment as well.

Even though you might not be able to visit the Sanctuary, you can certainly visit 80-acre Alafia Scrub Preserve, just east of I-75 on Gibsonton Drive. The preserve, one of many in the area, offers a hiking trail and nature study opportunities.