Most of N.H.'s Old Man of Mountain Falls

Yahoo ^ | 5-3-03 | unknown

[jmc813]

The Old Man of the Mountain, New Hampshire's natural stone profile that looks like a gnarled human face, fell from its mountainside overnight, a state official said Saturday.

AP Photo

Don Bliss, the state's director of emergency management, said there were no injuries. A Franconia emergency dispatcher also confirmed that the rock profile had fallen.

It wasn't immediately clear what caused the damage, but Amy Bahr, president of the Franconia Heritage Museum, said she has long been aware that the natural profile could slide. There had been several efforts over the years to stabilize it.

"I knew it would go sometime, I just didn't think it would happen in my lifetime," Bahr said.

The profile, about 40 feet high and 25 feet wide, was one of the most photographed sites in the state and was considered New Hampshire's state symbol, appearing on travel brochures and even the state quarter.

It was located in Franconia State Park, about 70 miles north of Concord, and to the west of Interstate 93, about 1,200 feet above Profile Lake.

"You don't think about it much, but it's what everybody comes to see, it's our thing. And now it's gone," said Eric Mueller, who works at Franconia Hardware Store.

___

On the Net:

http://www.nhparks.state.nh.us

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

New Hampshire ping.

[Calvin Locke]

And all the state road signs too.

[jackbill]

All my videos are rare now!!

I have photos of the Old Man of the Mountain from 1955. On the same trip I got pictures of Niagara Falls, before a big chunk of the American Falls collapsed.

Think I'll start taking pictures again: the DNC, Clinton Library, etc., etc..

[Lockbar]

Oh my god! This is HUGH!!

[harpseal]

Actually this is in many ways a great loss to the world. Ol' Stone face was perhaps the sign for what grew in NH free men per Daniel Webster. Yes it is a natural occurence and I pity those who never saw it. but it is gone. the superstitous from New Hampshire will be now filled with dread. I tell you I never ever though I would outlast teh Old Man. It is sort of what having Niagra Falls collapse ino a rapids would be to the people who have cherished that natural wonder.

[RaceBannon]

Sat May 3, 2:30 PM ET
Turnbuckles used to secure the historic symbol of New Hampshire, The Old Man of the Mountain, are seen Saturday May 3, 2003 in Franconia, N.H. The formation broke off and was discovered early Saturday morning. (AP Photo/Jim Cole)

Well, it is hugh to us series Freepers in New England!

[Lil'freeper]

That's ok- I already have boxes of samples from that area. ;-P

[Calvin Locke]

FWIW, over 20 years ago, a guy told me that it was already rebarred and fastened then, and that blasting for widening a
road (maybe I93) was curtailed or cancelled because of concerns.

Still, a sad and unique loss, nonetheless.

On the bright side, there were no reports of people being caught in the "calving" and having to have pinned limbs amputated.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Damn... Never thought I'd see that in my lifetime either... :(

[harpseal]

Justr to get all the tin foilers going supposedly the end of the old man of the mountain would portend a great disaster and maybe the end of people according to a local legend.

[Ms. Annie Oakley]

Yes, it is a shame! One of my earliest memories is of my dad pointing to the Old Man as we headed through Frankonia on our way to our vacation cottage in NH.

Nothing lasts forever, I guess.

[Celantro]

Man oh man! The economy of this area has been SO bad for SO long that they simply cannot take another hit. I've always loved New Hampshire's North Country but you have to be into the wonders of nature to find anything at all to do there. Pathetic as this may seem, for non-nature lovers and skiers, looking at a rock formation that looked like the face of a bearded, old man was about all there was. There's so much North Country tax money invested in signs, "Old Man Viewing" Parking lots, etc. that are no longer of any vallue to annyone that I wonder what they'll do up there.

New Hampshire? If you're listening, building a new, fake Old Man is NOT the answer. In the words of Bearclaw Chris Lapp of Jeremiah Johnson fame:

"The Mountain's got it's ways, Pilgrim."

Let those ways be.

[The Wizard]

thank you

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

LOL

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

In the early 11th century, al-Hassan became the head of the Persian sect of the Ismailians, a rather obscure party of fanatics which gained local power under his guidance. In 1090, al-Hassan and his followers seized the castle of Alamut, in the province of Rudbar, which lies in the mountainous region south of the Caspian Sea. It was from this mountain home that he obtained evil celebrity among the Crusaders as "the old man of the mountains", and spread terror through the Mohammedan world.

[Lil'freeper]

We vacationed there a couple of summers ago and just fell in love with the place. What a wonderful state and the folks we met were great, too. We hope to go back soon.

[gusopol3]

how about that memorable Nathaniel Hawthorne story, The Great Stone Face? About the boy who grew up in its shadow, and was told that one day, a great man would come to town resembling the GSF, only to be disappointed through the years as the famous came through. Late in his own life of quiet dignity and work, others in town began to notice how much his features had become like those of the face he had long admired.

[Thinkin' Gal]

A pile of dirt and rocks that once was the symbolic landmark known as the Old Man of the Mountain sits at the base of Cannon Mountain Saturday, May 3, 2003, in Franconia, N.H. The formation broke off and was discovered early Saturday morning. (AP Photo/Jim Cole)

Live Free or Die.

Ooops.

[Preech1]

Former NH resident Ping...

[nutmeg]

This is awful! I have been there half a dozen times, that was so cool to look at!

Same here... this is really sad :-(

Years ago I took some great photos of my late father standing by NH's Old Man of the Mountain... he was contorting his face in a really funny way so he would resemble the "Old Man". Geesh, I assumed that "rock solid" Old Man would be there forever...