Giant of Hillsboro Bay

The Giant of Hillsboro Bay (also "Hillsboro Bay Giant" or "Gohby") is a legendary giant in the oral tradition of Florida cracker cowmen who were colonial era Americans who first came to Florida in 1763 after Spain traded Florida to Great Britain following the Seven Years War. This legend is one of many legends that has been shared at the annual Cracker Storytelling Festival at Homeland Heritage Park in Homeland, Florida. The name "Hillsboro" refers to the portion of Tampa Bay near the mouth of the Hillsborough River as spelled on early maps of the region.
Legend
In the early 19th century, on the banks of Hillsboro Bay, cattle began to disappear from a scrub cow herd during the night. As was often the case back then, natives were blamed for the loss. However, when the cowmen went out looking for them, they encountered a giant eating one of the missing cows in the palmetto brush. He has twice as size as an ordinary man with legs the size tall tree trunks. When the cowmen approached him a struggle ensued in which three cowmen were killed along with the giant. The remaining cowmen brought the giant's head back to camp as a trophy. It was later fashioned into a water basin for the herd

Origins
The Giant of Hillsboro Bay is one of hundreds of accounts of giants living in North America during the 19th and 20th century. Many anthropologists believe this phenomenon is tied to religious fundamentalism at the time which suggested that the existence of biblical giants was enough to disprove the controversial theory of evolution. The Giant of Hillsboro Bay legend also has similarities with the story of David and Goliath, in which the slain giant's head was removed and brought by David to Jerusalem.
Giant Skeleton
From 1922-1927 an article was published throughout the United States stating that the bones of a Native American giant were discovered in Tampa, Florida and sent to the Smithsonian for examination.
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