Monadnock Moment No. 135

Era 5: Civil War and Reconstruction - 1850 to 1877

The Cardiff Giant

More than 135 years ago a strange discovery was made on a farm near Cardiff, New York. While digging a well on his farm, a local farmer came upon what appeared to be a petrified man. The man was over ten feet tall and became known as the Cardiff giant. The newspapers described the giant and the story of this scientific wonder became known far and wide.

Many people believed that the giant was not genuine. Several scientists examined the figure, one-half believed it to be a true petrified man, the other half regarded it as a scheme to make some easy money. It was reported that the farmer who discovered the giant sold a three-quarter interest in it for $50,000. The giant was then placed on exhibition at 50¢ admission and taken on a tour of the country.

The Cardiff giant arrived in Keene in January of 1871. It was displayed here for a week or two in a store on Central Square. The Sentinel reported that the giant was drawing large crowds and that all residents should examine this mysterious and wonderful object.

A short time later the giant was indeed found to be a fraud. It had been secretly carved from stone and the conspirators had buried it where the new well was to be dug so it would appear that they had just discovered it. The people of Keene must have been disappointed and angered, because they had not seen a true scientific marvel and they had been swindled out of 50¢.