George Hull, a cigar manufacturer from Binghamton, New York, had traveled west to Iowa to visit his sister in the small town of Ackley. In 1868, Hull returned to Iowa, arriving in Fort Dodge specifically to secure the stone. Credit: Canva Credit: CanvaTo bring his scheme to life, Hull shipped the massive gypsum block from Fort Dodge to a stonecutter in Chicago. But George Hull's lie didn't last long. His grand spite project proved two things: people will believe almost anything, and a petty argument in Iowa managed to pull off one of the greatest hoaxes in American history.