In October 1869, two workmen digging a well in Cardiff, New York, struck something hard 3 feet (0.91 meters) below the surface. They uncovered a massive stone foot and eventually unearthed a 10-foot-tall (3.05-meter) petrified man. The figure lay with contracted legs and a hand pressing its abdomen.
The discovery immediately triggered massive public interest and brought hundreds of spectators rushing to the farm by horse and wagon. Was this a genuine ancient titan buried for centuries or an elaborate trap designed to deceive the nation?
A Secret Creation in Chicago
The object was a carved block of gypsum engineered by George Hull. He formulated the idea after an argument with a minister regarding a literal interpretation of biblical passages concerning giants on earth. Hull traveled to Fort Dodge, Iowa, in 1868 and bought a 5-ton (4.54-metric ton) block of gypsum.
He told locals he planned to build a monument for Abraham Lincoln. Hull transported the stone to a Chicago workshop and hired sculptors to carve a giant. He hammered knitting needles into the stone to mimic skin pores and poured sulfuric acid over the surface to create an aged appearance.
Profiting from the Petrified Man
Hull and his cousin William Newell buried the creation on Newell’s farm in November 1868. They waited almost an entire year before ordering workmen to dig a well in that exact spot. Once unearthed, Newell pitched a tent over the pit and charged visitors 25 cents for admission. He quickly doubled the price to 50 cents.
Thousands of people paid to see the attraction. A syndicate of businessmen purchased a three-quarter share of the operation for $30,000. Famed showman P.T. Barnum offered $50,000 to buy the original figure. When the owners refused his offer, Barnum hired his own sculptors to build a replica and exhibited it in New York City.
A Confession and the Courtroom Conclusion
The original owners attempted to sue Barnum for displaying a fake version of their giant. During the legal proceedings, the judge noted the plaintiffs could not prove their own giant was a genuine petrification. At the same time, the Chicago stonecutters who carved the original gypsum block spoke to the press about their involvement.
George Hull confessed to the entire scheme and provided receipts for the gypsum block and the labor. Despite the public revelation of the hoax, crowds continued paying to view both the original Cardiff Giant and Barnum’s imitation. The original carved figure now sits on display at the Farmers’ Museum in Cooperstown, New York.