Gibsonton, sometimes nicknamedGibtown, is anunincorporated community andcensus-designated place inHillsborough County,Florida, United States.U.S. Route 41 runs through the center of the community. The population was 18,566 at the 2020 census, up from 14,234 at the2010 census.^[4]

Gibsonton, Florida
Census-designated place
View of a river in Gibsonton
Location inHillsborough County and the U.S. state ofFlorida
Coordinates:27°50′16″N82°22′27″W / 27.83778°N 82.37417°W /27.83778; -82.37417
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Hillsborough
Area [1]
• Total	15.44 sq mi (40.00 km2)
• Land	12.81 sq mi (33.19 km2)
• Water	2.63 sq mi (6.81 km2)
Elevation	7 ft (2 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	18,566
• Density	1,448.88/sq mi (559.42/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	33534
Area code	813
FIPS code	12-25900[2]
GNIS feature ID	0283060[3]

Gibsonton was famous as asideshow wintering town,^[5] where various people in the carnival and circus businesses would spend the off season, placing it near the winter home for theRingling Brothers Circus atTampa,Sarasota andVenice in various times.^[6] It was home to Percilla the Monkey Girl, the Anatomical Wonder, and theLobster Boy.Siamese twin sisters ran a fruit stand here. At one time, it was the only post office with a counter fordwarfs. Aside from the agreeable winter climate, Gibsonton offered unique circuszoning laws that allowed residents to keepelephants and circus trailers on their front lawns.

Gibsonton was founded by James Gibson Sr., from Greenville, Alabama, in 1884. He homesteaded 150 acres at the mouth of the Alafia River, stretching to the east for approximately a half a mile along the south bank of the river. Gibson, along with Granville Platt and F.L. Henderson, became trustees of a school erected in 1888.^[7]

Gibsonton is in south-central Hillsborough County at27°50′16″N82°22′27″W / 27.83778°N 82.37417°W /27.83778; -82.37417 (27.837894, −82.374070).^[8] It is bordered to the north and the east byRiverview, to the south byApollo Beach, and to the west byHillsborough Bay. The unincorporated community ofEast Tampa is in the northern part of the CDP, north of theAlafia River, andAdamsville is in the southern part.

U.S. Route 41 runs through the center of Gibsonton, leading north 7 miles (11 km) to the east side ofTampa and south 30 miles (48 km) toBradenton.Interstate 75 crosses the eastern part of Gibsonton, with access from Exits 246 and 250. I-75 leads north 6 miles (10 km) to theBrandon area and south 30 miles to Bradenton.

According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the Gibsonton CDP has an area of 15.4 square miles (40.0 km²), of which 12.8 square miles (33.1 km²) is land and 2.6 square miles (6.8 km²), or 17.10%, is water.^[4]

As of thecensus of 2010,^[10] there were 14,234 people living in the community. The racial makeup of the community was 72.80%White, 12.68%African American, 0.58%Native American, 1.78%Asian, 0.11%Pacific Islander, 8.96% fromother races, and 3.09% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 27.88% of the population.

There were 3,112 households, out of which 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% weremarried couples living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.5% were non-families. 20.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the community the population was spread out, with 29.7% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.0 males.

The median income for a household in the community was $34,000, and the median income for a family was $36,067. Males had a median income of $27,457 versus $21,826 for females. Theper capita income for the community was $15,695. About 16.0% of families and 18.3% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 24.8% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.

Gibsonton is the location of the International Independent Showmen's Association (Gibtown Showmen's Club), a non-profit private organization made up of people in the outdoor amusement industry. The original club building opened in 1966 and expanded to be the largest showmen's association in the United States.^[11] There are over 4,500 members from all over the United States and several foreign countries.

Gibsonton is also the home of the largest trade show in thecarnival industry. Exhibits include rides, food supplies and equipment, concession trailers, electrical supplies, insurance companies, novelty items, plush toys, and jewelry.^[12]

Gibtown's International Independent Showmen's Museum houses on two floors a wide assortment of antique equipment, historic printed materials and detailed exhibits that tell the carnival story – most of it donated by practicingcarnies.^[13] Carnival items from across the country reflecting nearly a century of carnival experiences have been donated.

The museum features photos of carnival setups throughout the years, with a particular focus on carnival transportation and the role that Gibsonton played in carnival history. The museum has one of the firstFerris wheels in the U.S., which is assembled right in the middle of the exhibits. Visitors can enjoy artifacts such as a slinky black-beaded costume worn by famous burlesque dancerGypsy Rose Lee as well as an outfit worn by the Viking GiantJóhann K. Pétursson. Visitors are also able to walk through carnie trailers, which open to transform from a dull-looking compartment into brightly lit and ornate facades.^[14]

The library at theUniversity of South Florida (USF) has digitized many of the photos at the International Independent Showmen's Museum. These photographs are a part of Special Collections at USF. The homepage of the collection describes the photographs as portraying the life and times of the American carnival from the late 1800s to today. The collection features many photographs that relate to means of transportation as relevant to the carnival, such as semi-trailers and trains.

Digital access to the collection is available through the USF website.^[15] The physical collection lives at the International Independent Showmen's Museum. Much of the digitization process was made possible by members of the International Independent Showmen's Association as well as a grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Sun City Center.^[15]

In addition to the collection of photographs, the USF Library has a digital collection of showmen's oral histories.^[16] Anoral history is both "a method of recording and preserving oral testimony" and the product that comes from this process.^[17] These are valuable pieces of cultural heritage that capture the memories of a person during a particular time.

• Grady Stiles, freak show performer known as Lobster Boy
• Al Tomaini, former world's tallest man

• The town was the setting for the 1995X-Files episode "Humbug", which was actually filmed inVancouver, British Columbia. The episode is about sideshow performers but does not star any of the town's actual residents.
• The town figured prominently in theDean Koontz bookTwilight Eyes, which featured a character who sought refuge in the circus community and came back to "Gibtown" with them as the traveling season drew to a close.
• The town was the title character in the fictional first-person lyric of "Gibsonton," released on The Babylon Minstrels' self-titled CD in 1992. The song was written by Julian Raymond, the group's co-founder.
• Gibsonton is the inspiration for a novel calledKaleidoscope by Darrell Wimberly, who has written other novels and non-fiction set in west Florida.
• Gibsonton was the setting for the July 17, 2011 episode of the Florida-basedA&E crime dramaThe Glades. The episode, titled "Gibtown," revolved around a murder in a town known as a haven for retired circus performers, and referenced former residents such as Percy the Monkey Boy, The Human Blockhead, Al Thornquist the 8 1/2 Foot Giant, and the Bertram Siamese Twins.
• In the novelOnce Burned by Jeaniene Frost, Gibsonton is the hometown of the main heroine Leila, who after suffering a horrific accident as a teen could channel electricity and learn a person's darkest secrets through a single touch.
• Gibsonton was visited byKevin Smith for a "Roadside Attractions" segment onThe Tonight Show.
• Gibsonton was the theme of a song by Josh Reilly on his album "Mercy On The Strange".
• Bar Rescue filmed two episodes including one whereJon Taffer rescues a bar on the Alafia River.

• Gibsonton: Where Carnies Go to Get Away from Civilians, article inVice magazine
• Video tour and historic documentary of Gibtown
• International Independent Showmen's Museum
• USF Showmen's Museum Photograph CollectionArchived July 7, 2016, at theWayback Machine
• USF Showmen's Oral History CollectionArchived July 7, 2016, at theWayback Machine