What have become known as garden gnomes in the States and England can be traced to dwarf statues that originated in Germany around the early 19th century.

Shawn just poured some more, and Tammy's mom, a sign artist who does most of the gnome painting, is getting exhausted. "She's painted 65 Seahawks gnomes since the beginning of November," says Tammy.

Beech Forest Trail, part of the Cape Cod National Seashore, has become a bit of an outdoor art project, and a place for a treasure hunt. More than 15 garden gnome statues have been placed in mossy ...