Freak Shows date back to as early as the 16th century, with collections of the unfortunate and the deformed. Dwarfs, conjoined twins, bearded ladies and other assorted genetic oddities have been presenting the macabre to the public for ages. Having been shunned from society, freaks were perfect targets for ridicule, persecution and exploitation. Unscrupulous promoters would recruit these unwanted and place them in the Freak Shows to travel from town to town, entertaining the curious. People would gather to shriek and howl in delight and horror. Not all performers were “natural” born freaks with genetic deformities. Some were performance artists with unusual talents such as fire eating, sword swallowing and full-body tattoos. If you find yourself anywhere near Gibtown FL you have to stop in and check out the Gibtown Circus museum, that’s where I got a lot of the photos in this spread...
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