In 1912, Aurelio “Big Al” Tomaini was born in Long Branch, New Jersey, destined to grow into a legend of the American sideshow. He found his place under the big top, where his extraordinary size made him a natural draw. Al was billed as the “Tallest Man in the World,” a giant promoted as standing 8 feet 4 inches tall, though in truth he measured closer to 7 feet 6.5. He wore size 26 shoes and carried 357 pounds on his frame.

It was the sideshow that also brought him love. In 1936, he met Jeanie Meeks at the carnival connected with the Cleveland Exposition. Known as the “Only Living Half Girl,” she was born without legs and stood just 2 feet 5 inches tall. Together, they were advertised as the “World’s Strangest Married Couple, “ and went on to tour together and eventually develop their own side show.

By the 1940s, Al and Jeanie had retired from the traveling life and settled in Gibsonton, Florida—a town that became synonymous with carnival culture. They adopted two children and opened Giant’s Fish Camp and Marina after rebuilding a run-down one-room bar. It was a 3 ½-acre complex of buildings that included a restaurant, cottages, a hotel, a bait shop, and their home. The Fish Camp quickly became more than just a business; it was a haven where carnival workers spent their winters, swapping stories and living side by side. Tourists soon followed, eager to catch a glimpse of the legendary couple who embodied the spirit of the midway. Seeing the camp poised on the side of U.S. 41 was sometimes tricky, since truckers parked their rigs on both sides of the highway at the open-24-hour restaurant.

Al’s role in the community extended beyond show business. He served as Gibsonton’s fire chief, a giant of a man who became a protector of his neighbors. But his life was cut short in 1962, when he died of a brain tumor at just 50 years old. Jeanie ran the camp after his death, but eventually struggled with keeping up the multiple structures.

In 1990, the county code enforcement department condemned over half the buildings due to their deterioration, calling them unfit for habitation. The 74-year-old fought the order in court and was granted a 21-day reprieve. The community came together and helped renovate the buildings, keeping them open. She was beloved by the “Gib-Town” community and dubbed the Queen of Gibsonton. She died in 1999 from heart failure.   A family member continued to run the restaurant, but the bait shop was razed that same year. The Fish Camp Restaurant remained a local landmark until 2006, when it was finally closed and demolished. In 2008, the Mosaic phosphate company purchased the property but kept one cottage standing to honor the camp's history, and moved it closer to the highway. It had a monument out front with a sculpture of Als's large boot on top. That cottage burned to the ground in 2022.

In 1947, photographer Sam Shere shot a series for Life magazine, where Al was featured alongside fellow performer Howard K. Marko—stage name “Midget.” The photos exemplify the differences in their stature. In the accompanying captions, Al’s name was misspelled as "Al Tomanini.”

 © Chip Weiner. All rights reserved