On this date in 1869, a ten-foot-tall, petrified man was discovered by workers digging a well in Cardiff, New York. The so called “Cardiff Giant” was an instant attraction; so much so, that famed showman, P.T. Barnum attempted to buy the giant from owner, David Hannum. When Hannum refused, Barnum made a replica, displayed it in his show, and declared it the original. “There’s a sucker born every minute!” said Hannum over the fiasco, a quote often misattributed to Barnum. Eventually, it was revealed by famed paleontologist, Othniel Marsh, to be a hoax.
