Venice, Florida: Animal Trainer Statue
"Greatest Animal Trainer of all Time" according to the plaque on the base of this eight-foot-tall bronze statue clad in a ridiculous costume. Gunther Gebel-Williams wintered in town and died in 2001. PETA tried and failed to add an adjacent statue of an elephant in shackles.
- Address:
- 303 E. Venice Ave., Venice, FL
- Directions:
- Park in the lot at the north end of Seaboard Ave., then walk along the road just a little further north. The statue is in a small grove of trees on the left.
- RA Rates:
- Worth a Detour
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The statue of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus star is located at the 1927 Venice Train Depot, which is home to the historical society. Other things to see: Louisville and Nashville 6445 caboose, and Venice's train-themed playground.
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The circus showman statue is in one of its traditional wintering capitals. According to the accompanying plaque, Gunther Gebel-Williams is "universally known as the Greatest Wild Animal Trainer of All Time." The "Lord of the Rings" made his U.S. debut in 1969 and performed in over 12,000 consecutive shows. Gebel-Williams lived with his family in Venice, Florida, and died in 2001.