3 Tiny Florida Towns Named Country's 'Weirdest'

When the folks at Cracked.com sat down to create a list of America’s “Weirdest Tiny Towns,” Florida barely fell off their radar it seems. Three of the six “tiny towns” featured are found within the Sunshine State and one’s smack dead in the Tampa Bay area.

Gibsonton earned No. 2 honors courtesy of its deep carnival roots.

“According to old-time carny Ward Hall, Gibsonton was a campsite belonging to ‘The Giant’ (Al Tomaini) and his wife (Jeanie) ‘The Half-Woman’ who ran a bakery and fire department,” Cracked noted. “Conjoined twin sisters had their own fruit stand, zoning permits allowed lion-tamers to train wild animals in their yards, and the beer hall had their chairs custom-made for Fat Ladies.”

Located a few miles outside of Tampa in Hillsborough County, the little town still holds its history close. The community enjoys its own special Residential Show Business zoning law that allows residents to keep circus animals and carnival rides and exhibits on their properties. A similar exception was granted in 2013 for residents of Riverview’s Tropical Acres.

For more information about Gibsonton’s history, check out this website.

See Also:

• Florida Ranks Worst in ‘Everything,’ Website Says
• Bay Area Ranks in the Nerd Department
• Florida Ranked Among Top 25 Best States for Road Trips
• Florida Named Scariest State in America

The Villages ranked No. 5.

“If a frat house and a Life Alert commercial had a baby, it would be The Villages,” Cracked.com’s writers explained. The town dedicated to retirees gained entry on the list because of the community’s racy reputation. “There’s been a 71 percent increase in cases of chlamydia and syphilis among people over 55 in that part of Florida,” the writers noted.

South Florida’s Miracle Village, a colony of sex offenders, came in at No. 6 on the roundup. That community is home to about 120 registered sex offenders and was designed to serve as a haven for those who can’t reside near parks and schools. It’s been featured in the national media many times and has a book dedicated to it.

Monowi, Neb., with a population of 1 earned first-place honors.

Check out the full story on Cracked.com.