Join us for a Guided Tour of OHA’s permanent exhibits on Saturday, October 18th at 1:00 PM. No reservations are required. Free for OHA Members and included with museum admission — $5 per person, with children 12 and under free! (fb)

On October 16, 1869, workers digging a well on the farm of William Newell in Cardiff, New York, uncovered what appeared to be a 10-foot-tall, 3,000-pound “petrified giant.” Newell quickly covered it with a tent and began charging visitors to see it. Crowds flocked to the farm, paying up to 50 cents each, and the discovery drew national attention. Entertainer P.T. Barnum offered to buy the giant, but when his offer was refused, he created his own version. Both were soon exposed as fakes. The original “Cardiff Giant” was actually the creation of George Hull, a New York tobacconist who dreamed up the hoax after arguing with a Methodist reverend about whether the Bible should be taken literally. Hull, an atheist, decided to carve a stone man to mock the idea that “there were giants in the earth in those days.” Hull’s prank was costly but profitable. He spent over $2,600 to have the statue carved and buried, but sold it to a group of businessmen for $37,500. When the giant was moved to Syracuse, Yale paleontologist Othniel C. Marsh inspected it and declared it a fraud, noting the clear chisel marks on its surface. Hull eventually confessed, but the public didn’t seem to care. They affectionately nicknamed it “Old Hoaxey,” and the crowds kept coming. Barnum’s replica even drew larger audiences than the original, leading to a failed lawsuit by the owners. Today, the original Cardiff Giant is on display at the Farmers’ Museum in Cooperstown, while Barnum’s replica can be seen at Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum near Detroit. Often called the greatest hoax of all time, the Cardiff Giant remains a fascinating chapter in New York history. #OHAStories #CNYHistory (fb)