This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
Cardiff Giant hoax lives on in Independence tale
The Cardiff Giant, a famed nineteenth century fraud, was carved from gypsum and buried near Lockport before being discovered 15 feet underground on a farmer’s land. Barnum bought the specimen for 20000 dollars and exhibited it in New York, later leaving a cast behind in Independence where it has remained for two decades.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cardiff
Independence
Bulletin-Journal
Fort Dodge
Iowa
Lockport
Philadelphia
P. T. Barnum
Great Museunm
New York City
New York
P. A. Older
Older
Harper’s Magazine
William
Newall
Syracuse
N.Y
Farmers Museum of the
New York State Historical Society
Cooperstown