The Old Man of the Mountain Memorial | Remembering a Legend
What does the famous Old Man of the Mountain look like today? We set off to the Old Man of the Mountain Memorial to find out.
By Bethany Bourgault|Jul 07 2022|
Photo Credit:
We’ve all seen him. He’s the classic state symbol of New Hampshire. He’s on the state quarter, license plates, and on multiple items in just about every tourist shop in the state. If you’re on a New Hampshire highway, his is the face telling you which one. But suddenly, on a fateful May night in 2003, the Old Man was no more. Almost as quickly, a dedicated task force assembled to honor and commemorate his legacy with an Old Man of the Mountain memorial.
Their work ensured that though he was physically gone, the Old Man of the Mountain would never be forgotten.
These famous words by Daniel Webster summarize how many felt about the Old Man of the Mountain. Photo Credit : Bethany Bourgault“Gone but not forgotten.” Photo Credit : Chris Burnett
It was Friday, May 2, 2003, a cloudy day in Franconia Notch. The Old Man was completely obscured, hidden away in the fog. A few hikers who had been brave enough to venture into the mist heard a crumbling sound during the night, but didn’t think much of it. It never crossed their minds that the great stone face wouldn’t be there when the fog lifted. It wasn’t until morning, when two park rangers noticed Old Man’s absence, that it became clear what that noise had been.
For many, the loss was personal. Some felt like they’d lost a family member, others, an ever-watchful guardian. Dave Neilson was the Old Man’s caretaker, a job he’d inherited from his father. He planned to pass the title down to his son Tommy someday. Now, that would never happen.
Viewing the Old Man today involves a 5-10 minute walk down a paved path to Profiler Plaza. Photo Credit : Bethany BourgaultThe Old Man used to be reflected in Profile Lake. Photo Credit : Bethany Bourgault
News of the collapse spread. Visitors flocked to the area to indulge their curiosity and pay their last respects, while the governor met with engineers and concerned citizens to discuss implications for the local economy. Tourists would hardly come to see the absence of the famed face, they thought. The word, “reconstruction” was tossed around, with some suggesting that a corporate sponsor be solicited to help. Someone had built Mt. Rushmore, after all. Why couldn’t they do that here?
But part of the Old Man’s majesty was that man took no part in his creation. He was engineered by mother nature, held up for years, it seemed, by the hand of God. No recreation could compete with that. A new man would simply be fake—a fraudulent shadow of what the Old Man once was.
Still, locals were worried. They had to do something. Formed from the stone that gives the Granite State its name, the Old Man represented solidarity, pride, and strength. He was the state symbol; they couldn’t just let him go.
Profiler Plaza was dedicated on June 12, 2011. Photo Credit : Bethany BourgaultOne of the steel rods used to hold up the Old Man before his fall is on display at the plaza. The first steel pins were put into the Old Man in 1916, when caretakers first began to fear his collapse. Photo Credit : Bethany BourgaultServing as an Old Man of the Mountain memorial, Profiler Plaza commemorates the Old Man’s memory today. Photo Credit : Bethany BourgaultThis monument on the path discusses the Old Man’s enduring legacy. Photo Credit : Bethany Bourgault
Today, the Old Man of the Mountain memorial spot is Profiler Plaza, a park that stands as a testament both to the generosity of the New England community and to good ol’ Yankee ingenuity. The Old Man Of The Mountain Legacy Fund was the primary sponsor of the project, and its funds came mostly from private donors — some of whom are named on the plaza’s paving stones. The concept of the plaza is simple, yet creative. To see an artistic rendering of the Old Man, visitors stand in the plaza on stones marked with footprints and different heights (there’s even one marked 2’ for the little ones). In the sightline from that area to the mountainside where the Old Man once was, several precisely sculpted and perfectly located steel shapes have been mounted. From that vantage point, using those pieces, the Old Man returns home.
These seven pillars help guests visualize the Old Man. Photo Credit : Bethany BourgaultVisitors stand on the footprints that align with their height to see the Old Man. Photo Credit : Bethany BourgaultThe Old Man of the Mountain, as seen through the interactive sculpture in Profiler Plaza. Photo Credit : Bethany Bourgault
The seven sculpted pillars that recreate the Old Man were the brainchild of Shelly Bradbury and Ron Magers, whose design was chosen over 40 other applicants. This part of the monument was dedicated in June 2011, and the rest of the plaza was completed in the following years.
Small museum displays, one a short distance from the plaza and another at Cannon Mountain, educate the public about the Old Man’s legacy, the geology that created him, and the mechanics that kept him from falling much sooner.
This building houses a small museum and gift shop at the beginning (and end) of the trail to Profiler Plaza. Photo Credit : Bethany BourgaultThe museum display at the memorial site building Photo Credit : Bethany BourgaultThe museum display at the base of Cannon Mountain—the mountain that the Old Man once called home Photo Credit : Bethany Bourgault
Over the years, millions of travelers “visited” the Old Man, and thanks to the efforts of some dedicated champions, they still can. That story might be even more remarkable than the 25,000-year-old man himself. Through hard work and creative thinking, the Old Man of the Mountain’s New England legacy has achieved a durability that transcends metal and stone.
The Old Man may be gone, but he will never be forgotten. Photo Credit : Bethany Bourgault
Read an earlier take on the Old Man’s collapse here. Do you remember the Old Man? Have you ever visited the Old Man of the Mountain memorial at Profiler Plaza? Let us know!
Old Man of the Mountain Profile Plaza. Exit 34B off NH I-93, Franconia, NH. (603) 505-8447; oldmanofthemountainlegacyfund.orgThis post was first published in 2016 and has been updated.
Fascinating article about the Old Man of The Mountain. I was there in 1973 but sadly could not see him for the fog. My Mom spoke about visiting there many years before and that intrigued me to go see this historic sight. Even though I didn’t actually see it I know I was there and I did get to enjoy the beauty of the Franconia Notch area. Beautiful country.
I visited the Old Man as a child a few times. Then we took our children to him and I am so glad they were old enough on those visits to remember what it looked like. My heart broke when I heard that The Old Man of The Mountain had fallen as future generations would not be able to see him in all his glory. I think what has been done to make it possible to see through the imagery you have created is wonderful. Thank you for that and not trying to rebuild him. This was God’s and natures creation and there is no way that could have been duplicated.
My family used to camp in the White Mountains when I was a kid and the Old Man of the Mountain always held a special place in my heart. When I heard of his tragic demise, I was heartbroken. I’m happy to see that he is well remembered and that the next time I get up to New Hampshire, I can bring my kids there to see the history. God Bless the Old Man.
I cannot travel any more, and so enjoy this site, New England Today, Travel, to take me back home any time I want to go. May 2003 I introduced my husband to New England, he is from Indiana, I am from Maine. We traveled 7000 miles over 2 months in honor of his retirement. When in N.H. it was a must to visit the grand Old Man, such as I had done many summers as a child. We were astonished to hear of his fall a few days after having been there, so feel privileged to have shared it with my Indiana hubby. Guess time took it’s toll on the old man, as it does on all of us. But thank”s to God and nature for giving so much to all -who have been part of the history. So glad to know there is a memorial park for the tradition to go on in remembrance.
As I child our family visited the Old Man of the Mountains once every year. Back then in the 1940’s and 50’s Dad just pulled the car to the side of the road, and we could look up and see the Old Man. In later years we took our children to see him. Unfortunately, he fell before our grandchildren got to see him. However, in 2011 we took them to Profile Park, and they were able to view the Old Man. Your article and photos brought back many happy memories. Thank you!
My husband Richard and I were newlyweds and went to New Hampshire for our honeymoon in April 1973. We spent 7 wonderful misty days touring special sites and we were so thrilled to see the New Hampshire icon, The Old Man of the Mountain. It was absolutely amazing!! I was devastated when I heard about his fall but am grateful for those involved who are keeping this keepsake alive!!
I went to visit my sister, brother in law, little niece and baby nephew summer of 1957. A close friend traveled with me to Kittery Maine. We all took a nice trip up to Franconia Notch and saw the Old Man. I have a cast iron trivet I bought and I still use it. It was a fun-filled trip for all of us. It’s beautiful up there!
Born and raised in MA right on the NH border, our family spent many wonderful summers visiting the White Mtns and the Old Man. Losing my one sibling this past May , I wondered how to honor his memory. There is now a paving stone with his name at Profiler Plaza that will endure as a reminder of much happier family times. God Bless his memory and that of the Old Man of the Mountains.
I have climbed next to The Old Man many times and have had lunch sitting atop him amid the cables. He was and always will be a reminder of happy days spent on Cannon Cliff
I first visited the Old Man in 1963 with my parents on a trip to visit a paper mill run by an Army buddy of my father’s from WWII. I remember standing looking up in amazement to see such a work of God. Then in the 1990s my husband and I took our children to see him….and then I 2002 we saw him for the last time on a trip to show him to a friend of ours….she was 76 and said she had never witnessed anything like it before.
It was a tradition when I was a child to travel to the White Mountains. We didn’t travel to far away places so it was special to visit the “Old Man of the Mountain.” My husband and I were in Scotland when we heard of the “Old Man’s” Demise.” Traveling to Scotland meant getting to a far away place finally. We could hunt up my ancestry. How sad to hear of the fall of this famous “Man”. We look forward to visiting this tribute to history. Thanks for the article.
my husband and I got to see the Profiler Plaza about a year after it was built, I am sure there is more there now, but we thoroughly enjoyed the history and readings about the Old Man – part of our NE trip – Thanks for the article, there were some great new facts in it that we didn’t know.
On Friday May 2, 2003, my family flew into Manchester from VA, MN, and TX to bury the ashes of my mother, who had died a few months earlier. I loaded my husband,daughter, son, their spouses, and my grandchildren into the car and we left Manchester in sunny 70 degree weather to visit Sugar Hill and the Old Man in the Mountain. As we drove into the mountains, the weather changed: it cooled, got cloudy and then spit rain. When we arrived at the spot where we should have seen the Old Man, it was completely covered in clouds. We went on to Sugar Hill to scout some distant relatives of my husband, then returned to Manchester. The next morning we were greeted with the headline “It is gone” I still regret that my grandchildren could not experience the sight of that grand old guy, and will miss him forever.
Stoped to see him once or twice a year growing up on our way from MA to visit my uncle in Jefferson. I brought my own children to see him several times. I was at my youngest son’s first Boy Scout camporee when I heard the news of his demise. Last year we brought our grandson to the plaza to see the memorial
The interstate that was built nearby may have hastened he collapse. This was an issue when the proposal for the route was made public. Another noteworthy view is of Pilot Mountain near Mount Airy, NC, on I-77.
I remember that the collapse was predicted to occur when the interstate was built so close to Old Man in the Mountain. Maybe someone from NH can amplify when this issue was raised & who made the decision to go ahead anyway.
As a child growing up in Ma., close to the N.H. border, we visited Franconia Notch frequently & even witnessed a rescue/recovery mission when climbers got stranded on the Old Man. Such a beautiful, iconic landmark!
I don’t know why the state of New Hampshire doesn’t make a fiberglass replica to attach with cables as they did with the original stone faced “Old Man”.. The states heritage is all around this landmark from state road signs to license plates etc. how hard could/would it be to make this so people could still enjoy.. I was born in N.H. and take my grown kids and now grand kids every summer for vacation and I must say it’s a little depressing going through the notch and not seeing the Old Man….
Les, The fact that you have to ask the questins of why the State of New Hampshire doesn’t build a fiberglass replica of the “Old Man” sort of tells me you don’t hail from New Hampshire, Right? UGH!
Don, I think Les’s question also shows that he didn’t read too far beyond the headline. The article clearly answers the “Why isn’t a replica built in place of the Old Man” question. Bethany Bourgault addresses this with “A new man would simply be fake—a fraudulent shadow of what the Old Man once was.” The creators of Profile Plaza clearly did not want a fake on the mountain in place of what God and Mother Nature created and sustained for so long. With 35,000+ visitors annually (see separate comment from the chairman of the private group that has built the memorial), I’d say the new way of honoring the Old Man has been embraced.
I grew up visiting the Old Man every year on family vacations. My husband and I still did while we were dating and after we had married. May 3rd was a very sad day at our house. We still visit, but now it’s every other year or so. It’s just not the same and Old Stone Face is missed
Saw the old man many times in my growing up years. My fondest memory of him was when my second grade class came in from recess one day in 1958, our Weekly Reader magazine was on our desks. The front page had a picture of men scrambling around on top of the forehead, attaching some of those futile cables trying to secure him for future generations. I remember this because one of the men, (state workers) was an uncle of mine. I always, as many of you, sort of took the old man for granted. Then, on my 53rd birthday, he could no longer fight gravity and plunged below. My memories of N. H. will never be the same. At one time I had a colored glass liquor bottle of the old man, but somewhere in my moves and travels, I managed to lose it, wish I at least still had that memory in my hands.
I spent a week camping in Franconia notch the week before I joined the navy back in 1998 .had the privilege to see the old man up close even got to see the rangers working on him .sad its gone
As chairman of the group that has built the memorial of the Old Man I thank you for your article and update . Over 1000 individuals , families, workers and businesses have purchased granite pavers at the site that has funded the project. The state legislature refused to take part……..We are proud of the fact that the memorial is privately funded…This week we opened a new exhibit in the little stone cottage on the pathway..It features displays on the grand resort Profile House and cottages that stood on the site between the cottage and aerial tramway from 1853-1923 until destroyed by fire whose owners sold the land to the state for a park with the assistance of the Society of NH Forests…Before the organization sunsets on 12/31/2018 we hope to complete a walking trail around Profile Lake and add more interpretive signing…About 35,000 visitors come to the Plaza between Memorial Day and Columbus Day……..Thanks so much for featuring the Old Man Memorial……Come on down and see it for yourself…….Dick
In 1954, when I was 8, my parents took my brother and me on an epic trip to New England just before school began. I willalways remember seeing The Old Man. Hurts my heart to think of him being gone, and I had not been aware of that. I am stunned by the active replacement so that people can get the feeling of the outcrop. Bless the people who brought it back as well as that, and I won’t forget that experience.
Went to Loon Mountain in early 97 and of course had to stop and visit The Old Man.
got some great shots of him .
I just learned tonight he’s now gone but never Forgotten
Our parents took us to the White Mountains every fall to see the foliage, the flume, and the Old Man. I have such wonderful memories of those special family holidays. Living in Massachusetts, it wasn’t too difficult to get up there fairly often. My dad took lots of movies with his old Brownie movie camera, so we still have the Old Man in his prime. I couldn’t believe it when I heard what happened to him. So sad! Thanks to all the people who organized and built such a meaningful memorial. It’s “just right”…the Old Man would have loved it.
Along with a hiking pal we did all of the New England four thousand footers completing them in 1987. The notch is one of my favorite areas. I can’t believe that it’s been fourteen years since th Old Man died.
I GREW UP IN BERLIN, NH, 40 MILES FROM FRANCONIA NOTCH. MY MOTHERS’ MOTHER USED TO LOVE TO VISIT THE OLD MAN EVERY SUMMER AND SO DID I AND MY MOTHER. I REMEMBER WALKING FROM THE CAR TO OUR VANTAGE POINT AND LOVING TO WATCH HIS REFLECTION IN PROFILE LAKE. ALSO, WHEN I LEFT THERE, FOR COLLEGE, I WENT TO BU FOR ONE SEMESTER AND UNH FOR THE REMAINDER AND GRADUATED FROM UNH, I USED TO DRIVE BY THE OLD MAN WHEN I WAS VISITING MY RELATIVES IN BERLIN. MOST OF THE TIME HE WAS VISIBLE, EVEN IN BAD WEATHER, HOWEVER, HE WAS “SHROUDED IN FOG” SEVERAL TIMES WHEN I PAID HOMAGE TO “THE MAN”. I JUST LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM AND KNEW HOW HE CAME TO BE GEOLOGICALLY AND HISTORICALLY BECAUSE I WAS ALWAYS INTERESTED IN THAT SORT OF THING. AFTER HE FELL I MANAGED TO FIND IN SOME ANTIQUES SHOPS WERE I WAS SHOPPING FOR MERCHANDISE FOR RESALE A LOT OF OLD MAN SOUVENIRS. I MADE A POINT OF BUYING ONE OF THE MULTIPLE POST CARD FOLIOS THEY SOLD IN THE GIFT SHOP AND I MANAGED TO FIND A GERMAN PORCELAIN CUP AND SAUCER MADE FOR THE SHOP TO SELL. IN 1892 PRESIDENT MC KINLEY PASSED A TARIFF ACT (KNOWN AS THE MC KINLEY ACT) REQUIRING EVERYTHING IMPORTED INTO THIS COUNTRY TO BE MARKED WITH ITS COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, WHICH IS HOW I KNOW THIS CUP AND SAUCER IS FROM GERMANY. I BELIEVE, FROM ITS STYLE AND FORM THAT IT WAS MADE AROUND 1914, JUST PRIOR TO WORLD WAR 1. I WATCHED EVERY TIME I DROVE BY HIM VERY CAREFULLY, BECAUSE THAT ROAD IS “VERY CURVY IN THAT VICINITY”, FOR HIM “TO APPEAR” AND WHEN HE DID I ALWAYS HAD A SMILE ON MY FACE!
Thank you for the great article. As a resident of NH since 1992, I loved the Old Man and also so very upset when he slipped away. The old post card you feature in the article reminds me that I have a post card of the same vintage that featured the Old Woman of the Mountain. Does she still exist? My mother and I bought that card on one of the trips to visit. A beautiful place!
Yes, Lee Anne, the “watcher” or Old Lady, as I refer to the figure, is still there. I do see her on my weekly round trip north through the Notch. Losing the Old Man was tough for me as I remember viewing him over 70 years ago on yearly trips north from MA on vacations with my parents. Now I am blessed to be living just 20 miles south since 1977.
Growing up in New Hampshire I first saw the Old Man of the Mountain as a child. Later in life while attending Plymouth Teachers College (now Plymouth State University) our Outing Club made many trips to Franconia Notch to ski and climb. Like many others, we knew the Old Man would always be there.
I worked many summers very close to “The Old Man” and passed him thousands of times! He WAS part of N.H. history. He is dearly missed! I feel so lucky to have seen him but sorry I took him for granted that he would always be there. Thank you for telling his story!
All is not lost…. there is another profile in the area. Go to the south shore of Profile Lake and look up at a cleft in Eagle Cliff. Looking down is another stone face – the watcher. It can be viewed from closer up by following the ridge from the junction of routes 3 and 18, though it’s a rough bushwhack, but the reward is a close-up view of the watcher looking down on the notch.
My son called first! Mom, the Old Man on the Mountain fell. He was so upset, my older son also. We visited every year, coming from NY and went again last Summer for our visit with the Old Man. Just love it but still miss the original.
I am a 5th generation native of Massachusetts and visited NH every summer with my family when my brother and I were growing up. The Old Man of the Mountains was always a favorite stop on our adventures. I was saddened the day he collapsed. I am just reading now that there has been a memorial so will have to go back and see it. My husband and I now live in CT near the NY border so it is a few hours away, but we will definitely make the drive to see the memorial. What a great tribute, thank you so much all who were involved making the memorial as a tribute to The Old Man !!!
I viewed “The Old Man In The Mountain” sometime between 1986 and 1988. I do have pictures I took. I’m from Newton, NJ. He was an awesome sight. Plan on visiting his Memorial next fall.
I first remember reading the story by Nathaniel Hawthorne “The Old Man of the Mountain” as a child. How blessed I was to visit the actual site when Bob was showing the sites of New England (even have a slide of me with The Old Man of The Mountain in the background). He was, indeed, like another member of the family. Was so very sad when we learned he was no more in 2003.
My daughter bought a new camera. The first picture was to be of the Old Man. She got the kids up early and drove north to take that picture when the sun was just coming up. But when they got there the Old Man was gone. She called us crying and told us what has happened. I called Lancaster Highway and told them. The person thought I was joking and said it was not so. I told her to call state police to check. It was a sad day, I still look that way on the way south to see the kids. The old woman and child are still there to watch as we go by the pond.
Our family used to go camping near The Old Man. My daughter was around 8 years old and would not go to sleep until she said good night to The Old Man. Every evening before she got in her sleeping bag we would drive up to The Old Man so she could say her good night to him. She’s in her 30’s now. I always remember her desire to say good night to him when we visit the site. I certainly miss seeing him up there on the mountain. It was an amazing to see and comforting to many.
Are old framed pictures of The Old Man of the Mountain worth anything?? I have a framed one that my mother had in her things which I cleaned out after she died.
My uncle moved to New Hampshire when I was 5 years old and family vacations from then on usually meant a trip to visit New Hampshire. One of my favorite memories from those trip was when we went to the mountains. The trips included the Flume Gorge, Cog Railroad, Cannon Mountain and always-always-always the Old Man. On May 3, 2003 I heard the news of the Old Man sliding quietly down the mountainside. It was a bittersweet day because I was attending my Godson’s wedding and was between the ceremony and the reception when I heard it on the radio. I cried form the loss of the Old Man and smiled with joy for the new life for the Young Man. I still shed a tear when I think about the Old Man not being there on that mountainside from the memory of my childhood. Thanks for the article.
I went to visit my daughter in the Summer of 1994 while she was living in NH at the time with her husband & daughter and got to see & take photos of the Old Man on the Mountain. I’ll never forget him! I was saddened to hear of his demise!
I saw the original “Old Man” many years ago. In 2011 I found myself back @ Profile Lake to see how they put the old man back up. It’s not the same, but it is a very good likeness. Go see it if you’re in the area…well worth the trip.
We went to see the “old man” about a year ago never dreaming that he no longer there. When we walked down the Profiler Plaza trail with signs directing you to see the “old man” along the way, we thought it was the biggest “gotcha” we had ever experienced when we reached the plaza. It is the greatest joke ever played on the unsuspecting public. So much hype for an icon no longer in existence, it is a great practical joke!
My family went camping every year for 4th of July near what we called “Owl Rock” which was close to a park that later was a national park. We would stop at Granite State potato chip company with the logo of the “Old Man” on the box, get a sour pickle and a big box of potato chips to snack on for the long ride to the park. We stopped to see the “Old Man” on our way, Devil’s Basin, took a sip of spring water from a natural spring in the rocks, and camped for a week at the park. Those were the best years of our life. We did this for many years before I lost my Father to a heart attack, and have never been back again. When I heard of the demise of the “Old Man” I was heartbroken to lose both memories of those very special days. I will always remember both “Old Men” with fondest memories.
It’s a different kind of story, that of the old man. No one intentionally knocked him down, no one flew a plane into him or removed his lower supports. We can’t blame anyone or anything for his collapse. It’s not the kind of news story one reads about today. Our first instinct is to fix it, rebuild it, take some negligent person to court. But none of that is even remotely possible. I guess it’s what nature wanted. Maybe it was bound to happen eventually anyway. Maybe he was like a real old man and his time here had ended. He’s just no longer with us. But he lives on in our hearts.
I grew up in Manchester New Hampshire visiting The Old Man every summer. When my children were young we continued the trip. It was like visiting an old uncle. When my family and I moved to California and Abroad ,we would come back to New Hampshire to see The Old Man again and again. When I heard he was no more, it was a very sad day indeed. New Hampshire will never be the same for me.
I first saw The Old Man in the early snows of late 1968 as we headed north from Boston University to ski Cannon Mountain and Mittersill. We had to pull over and take a gander so the out of state rube in the auto, I, could take in the Old Man’s impassive and impressive visage. Visiting The Old Man became de rigueur on every sojourn from that first view forward.
It’d be fair to say that The Old Man also holds a special place in my heart because my now dearly departed father is also fondly known to all and sundry as the old man and it was the old man who taught me to sail and ski. And without the latter, I never would’ve met The Old Man. Both old men were rich in stories and in the patina of age. I miss them both.
My family and I arrived in Manchester on the Friday before he fell in 2003. It was 70 degrees and sunny. We drove our rental car to Sugar Hill, NH, and on the way tried to see the Old Man. By that time, fog had rolled in and it was lightly raining. It was such a disappointment for me that I could not show my grandchildren this wonderful sight. The next morning, the headlines in the newspaper was “He’s Gone!” We could not believe it. I think he will always be there in our hearts. So glad to see what they have done to memorialize him. I live in Virginia now, but hope to get there one more time.
We visited the Old Man just after Columbus day in 2002. The day was sunny and the temperature was around 70 when we hit the NH state line. As we got higher in elevation, the sky darkened and the temperature began to drop. It was cloudy , windy, and raw by the time we reached the observation area for the Old Man. I took out my camera and managed to get two pictures. I was about to change to my zoom lens for close-up shot but my hands were shaking from the cold. We decided to return the next Autumn for better pictures but it was not to be.
We were listening to the radio the next year when we heard the news of the Old Man’s demise. I glad we managed to see the Old Man that one time and returned in the Fall to pay our last respects.
I visited the old man in 1984 as part of a Scout exchange from Coventry UK to Coventry RI it was a truly magnificent sight I feel fortunate I have photographs of the view. I am sad that visitors cannot now see the old man in his glory.
I was first introduced to “The Old Man” about 1948 (I was 6) by my father. I was in awe that he was there. It was a thrill to a small boy. I revisited many times as I grew older and became an adult. I learned that I had Native heritage and this was a special thing for the Native people, so he became even more a part of me. I miss him, but my memories are still contained in me, now that I am an “old man”.
I visited NH and the Old Man last June…went to Profiler Plaza and liked it very much. Stood in the foot steps, visited the little museum/gift store. Even with the OM, New Hampshire was still heads and tails above the other NE states. My favorite by far. A gorgeous state y’all have there- and that’s a great compliment coming from the beautiful state of Washington!
I had visited more times than I can count on my 67 years. I was lucky enough to bring my son twice before the end, best part he does remember him. Sad that such a famous landmark is gone forever. Happy that they have found away to make him live on for future generations but it’s not the same.
I have an old picture of my husband and me taken in October 1971 with the blazing autumn colors behind us and the Old Man above. Before the road was rebuilt or the Old Man fell, or the Profile plaza came into being, before all that the OLD MAN was ours. We keep his photo in the living room… He lives in so many memories.
As a child in the 1960’s and 70’s, long before the Interstate went through Franconia Notch, my family frequently traveled from Massachusetts to the White Mountains to climb the mountains and/or enjoy the fall leaves. Whenever we drove through Franconia Notch, either from south to north or north to south, I always enjoyed looking at the cliff where the Old Man of the Mountain was to watch his profile slowly appear or disappear. My father thought (and I agreed) that the Old Man, when viewed from the south instead of the traditional view from the north, looked like the very wrinkled face of an old Native American man. Does anyone else agree? I was greatly saddened when I learned the Old Man was gone. I never had the chance to show him to my daughter.
An awesome place . been there many times with children & grandchildren
When you are walking down the path to the profiler plaza what are the pointed rocks on the left called.
I entirely disagree that New Hampshire has “lost it’s identity”. Although the majestic visage of the beloved Old Man of the Mountain can no longer be viewed in person, New Hampshire has so much more to offer both to it’s inhabitants and to visitors. The Old Man’s profile is not the state’s sole identity source.
It broke the hearts of my entire family when he fell but New Hampshire now keeps his legacy and his memory at the forefront of the state’s attraction.
New Hampshire’s “identity” is not lost anymore than Wyoming would become blank space on the US map if Devil’s Tower were to disintegrate into the earth or Old Faithful was reduced to a lukewarm puddle.
For my family, passing by the rainbow painted Boston Gas tank on the drive to and from the NH border marks both the beginning and ending of our trips to the Granite State. However, I remember when there were TWO Boston Gas tanks when I was a child. After all these years, there still exists a subtle nagging in the back of my brain whispering, “It looks the same… but you know thats not the original painted tank!”. In no way am I comparing a natural geological phenomenon such as The Old Man of the Mountain to a man-made gas tank, simply demonstrating that a replica is not always the way to go! If you believe it is, perhaps start working on waterfall facsimiles…we mustn’t let New York cease to be identifiable if Niagra Falls suddenly dries up!
I’ve thought about this a million times. I appreciate that today, one has to stand in a spot to see what it looked like. It’s a noble response. I appreciate it.
I understand the “leave it alone crowd”.
The fact is, the state for years tried to save it with cables and cement. Roughly a century of attempts.
It seems one could make a much lighter replica (not fiberglass, but steel and not shiny, but matte) and fix it to the rocks behind.
Some may not like it but it is a state symbol. The kids might never know it.
With all the photos we have, it’s doable.
Maybe when enough curmudgeons pass, the kids will be upset enough to do it. I remember seeing it. It didn’t look real then. It was too perfect. I loved it. I wish we could resolve this without invoking god or accepting the opinion of the author, no offense.
If done right, it could last a very long time.
When it first fell, I thought the people of New Hampshire would rebuild it. Their highways cut through granite mountains all over the state.
It wouldn’t be offensive to redo it. It wouldn’t be arrogant.
My family lived in different parts of New Hampshire for a century and a half. I’d like to say my piece. We may not all agree but that’s part of living free. And I’m not dead yet.
I grew up in Vermont. We would go through Franconia Notch when we went to Connecticut to visit my grandmother. Seeing the Old Man in the Mountain always fascinated me. I took my wife and in-laws through there in ’87 when I was in the Air Force. I agree that it should be restored. It is a monumental piece of history. While the recreation would not be real; it would be a real tribute to the Old Man.
I remember watching for the ” Old Man ” when going on ski trips with my fav uncle , I was so excited ! I actually cried At the age of 58 – the day it came down !
Building a likeness of The Old Man would be an irreverent act. Some people do build statutes of people who died and prop them up in a cemetery or town square, but for the the most part, we grieve the loss, make an appropriate marker, and pay our respects. The innovative design that allows us to “see” the Old Man without a manmade replica is a perfect tribute. We show our children what the Old Man looked like, or remind ourselves again of his protective visage, but we can also view his former “home” on the ledge as it now appears. Like many family homes in New England, this spot on Cannon Cliff was the birthplace of the Old Man, his lifelong home, and now, his grave. It is a cycle as pure and time-honored as the granite hill from which he was fashioned. His memorial is exactly as it should be.
I was there a few years ago. A perfect tribute and artistic creation to the original natural formation. I can’t think of a better way to perpetuate the legacy of the old man.
The first time I saw the Old Man of the Mountain was June 1952. I was on a weekend graduation trip to NH by one of my 8th grade classmates mother and father. We were all mesmerized by this amazing natural rock formation from the last Ice Age 10,000 years ago. It will be a lasting memory for me, but sadly my grandchildren will never see the real thing. We come to NH and the mountains every year, we love this wonderful state.
My family and I have visited the Old Man in the Mountain every year of my life, sometimes multiple times a year. He is in countless family photos and videos spanning 40+ years, framed portraits of him adorn the walls of our homes, he became part of our family. We were devastated when we heard the news. I remember arriving July 17th, 2003 to where we visited the Old Man only months before, my mum and sisters crying in each others arms. We still visit NH just as often and we still visit Franconia Notch to reminisce, tell our children memories of the Old Man and have our picnic on the grass beneath his towerng mountain.
I just finished teaching “The Great Stone Face” by Nathaniel Hawthorne to high schoolers. We are in the Atlanta area, so we have our own great piece of granite–Stone Mountain, with which the students are familiar. Although the carving on Stone Mountain is manmade, they were able to identify with a natural feature that everyone in the area is familiar with. I shared several of the links of
Fascinating article about the Old Man of The Mountain. I was there in 1973 but sadly could not see him for the fog. My Mom spoke about visiting there many years before and that intrigued me to go see this historic sight. Even though I didn’t actually see it I know I was there and I did get to enjoy the beauty of the Franconia Notch area. Beautiful country.
I visited the Old Man as a child a few times. Then we took our children to him and I am so glad they were old enough on those visits to remember what it looked like. My heart broke when I heard that The Old Man of The Mountain had fallen as future generations would not be able to see him in all his glory. I think what has been done to make it possible to see through the imagery you have created is wonderful. Thank you for that and not trying to rebuild him. This was God’s and natures creation and there is no way that could have been duplicated.
We saw the Old Man a couple of times when visiting our daughter in Maine and made the drive to NH. Really hated to hear he had fallen.
My father was born in NH and loved the old man. It was with great sadness we said good by to Dad on May 3. 2003 and the “OldMan” as well.
My family used to camp in the White Mountains when I was a kid and the Old Man of the Mountain always held a special place in my heart. When I heard of his tragic demise, I was heartbroken. I’m happy to see that he is well remembered and that the next time I get up to New Hampshire, I can bring my kids there to see the history. God Bless the Old Man.
I cannot travel any more, and so enjoy this site, New England Today, Travel, to take me back home any time I want to go. May 2003 I introduced my husband to New England, he is from Indiana, I am from Maine. We traveled 7000 miles over 2 months in honor of his retirement. When in N.H. it was a must to visit the grand Old Man, such as I had done many summers as a child. We were astonished to hear of his fall a few days after having been there, so feel privileged to have shared it with my Indiana hubby. Guess time took it’s toll on the old man, as it does on all of us. But thank”s to God and nature for giving so much to all -who have been part of the history. So glad to know there is a memorial park for the tradition to go on in remembrance.
As I child our family visited the Old Man of the Mountains once every year. Back then in the 1940’s and 50’s Dad just pulled the car to the side of the road, and we could look up and see the Old Man. In later years we took our children to see him. Unfortunately, he fell before our grandchildren got to see him. However, in 2011 we took them to Profile Park, and they were able to view the Old Man. Your article and photos brought back many happy memories. Thank you!
My husband Richard and I were newlyweds and went to New Hampshire for our honeymoon in April 1973. We spent 7 wonderful misty days touring special sites and we were so thrilled to see the New Hampshire icon, The Old Man of the Mountain. It was absolutely amazing!! I was devastated when I heard about his fall but am grateful for those involved who are keeping this keepsake alive!!
I went to visit my sister, brother in law, little niece and baby nephew summer of 1957. A close friend traveled with me to Kittery Maine. We all took a nice trip up to Franconia Notch and saw the Old Man. I have a cast iron trivet I bought and I still use it. It was a fun-filled trip for all of us. It’s beautiful up there!
Born and raised in MA right on the NH border, our family spent many wonderful summers visiting the White Mtns and the Old Man. Losing my one sibling this past May , I wondered how to honor his memory. There is now a paving stone with his name at Profiler Plaza that will endure as a reminder of much happier family times. God Bless his memory and that of the Old Man of the Mountains.
I have climbed next to The Old Man many times and have had lunch sitting atop him amid the cables. He was and always will be a reminder of happy days spent on Cannon Cliff
I first visited the Old Man in 1963 with my parents on a trip to visit a paper mill run by an Army buddy of my father’s from WWII. I remember standing looking up in amazement to see such a work of God. Then in the 1990s my husband and I took our children to see him….and then I 2002 we saw him for the last time on a trip to show him to a friend of ours….she was 76 and said she had never witnessed anything like it before.
It was a tradition when I was a child to travel to the White Mountains. We didn’t travel to far away places so it was special to visit the “Old Man of the Mountain.” My husband and I were in Scotland when we heard of the “Old Man’s” Demise.” Traveling to Scotland meant getting to a far away place finally. We could hunt up my ancestry. How sad to hear of the fall of this famous “Man”. We look forward to visiting this tribute to history. Thanks for the article.
my husband and I got to see the Profiler Plaza about a year after it was built, I am sure there is more there now, but we thoroughly enjoyed the history and readings about the Old Man – part of our NE trip – Thanks for the article, there were some great new facts in it that we didn’t know.
On Friday May 2, 2003, my family flew into Manchester from VA, MN, and TX to bury the ashes of my mother, who had died a few months earlier. I loaded my husband,daughter, son, their spouses, and my grandchildren into the car and we left Manchester in sunny 70 degree weather to visit Sugar Hill and the Old Man in the Mountain. As we drove into the mountains, the weather changed: it cooled, got cloudy and then spit rain. When we arrived at the spot where we should have seen the Old Man, it was completely covered in clouds. We went on to Sugar Hill to scout some distant relatives of my husband, then returned to Manchester. The next morning we were greeted with the headline “It is gone” I still regret that my grandchildren could not experience the sight of that grand old guy, and will miss him forever.
Stoped to see him once or twice a year growing up on our way from MA to visit my uncle in Jefferson. I brought my own children to see him several times. I was at my youngest son’s first Boy Scout camporee when I heard the news of his demise. Last year we brought our grandson to the plaza to see the memorial
The interstate that was built nearby may have hastened he collapse. This was an issue when the proposal for the route was made public. Another noteworthy view is of Pilot Mountain near Mount Airy, NC, on I-77.
I remember that the collapse was predicted to occur when the interstate was built so close to Old Man in the Mountain. Maybe someone from NH can amplify when this issue was raised & who made the decision to go ahead anyway.
As a child growing up in Ma., close to the N.H. border, we visited Franconia Notch frequently & even witnessed a rescue/recovery mission when climbers got stranded on the Old Man. Such a beautiful, iconic landmark!
I don’t know why the state of New Hampshire doesn’t make a fiberglass replica to attach with cables as they did with the original stone faced “Old Man”.. The states heritage is all around this landmark from state road signs to license plates etc. how hard could/would it be to make this so people could still enjoy.. I was born in N.H. and take my grown kids and now grand kids every summer for vacation and I must say it’s a little depressing going through the notch and not seeing the Old Man….
Les, The fact that you have to ask the questins of why the State of New Hampshire doesn’t build a fiberglass replica of the “Old Man” sort of tells me you don’t hail from New Hampshire, Right? UGH!
Don, I think Les’s question also shows that he didn’t read too far beyond the headline. The article clearly answers the “Why isn’t a replica built in place of the Old Man” question. Bethany Bourgault addresses this with “A new man would simply be fake—a fraudulent shadow of what the Old Man once was.” The creators of Profile Plaza clearly did not want a fake on the mountain in place of what God and Mother Nature created and sustained for so long. With 35,000+ visitors annually (see separate comment from the chairman of the private group that has built the memorial), I’d say the new way of honoring the Old Man has been embraced.
I grew up visiting the Old Man every year on family vacations. My husband and I still did while we were dating and after we had married. May 3rd was a very sad day at our house. We still visit, but now it’s every other year or so. It’s just not the same and Old Stone Face is missed
Saw the old man many times in my growing up years. My fondest memory of him was when my second grade class came in from recess one day in 1958, our Weekly Reader magazine was on our desks. The front page had a picture of men scrambling around on top of the forehead, attaching some of those futile cables trying to secure him for future generations. I remember this because one of the men, (state workers) was an uncle of mine. I always, as many of you, sort of took the old man for granted. Then, on my 53rd birthday, he could no longer fight gravity and plunged below. My memories of N. H. will never be the same. At one time I had a colored glass liquor bottle of the old man, but somewhere in my moves and travels, I managed to lose it, wish I at least still had that memory in my hands.
I spent a week camping in Franconia notch the week before I joined the navy back in 1998 .had the privilege to see the old man up close even got to see the rangers working on him .sad its gone
As chairman of the group that has built the memorial of the Old Man I thank you for your article and update . Over 1000 individuals , families, workers and businesses have purchased granite pavers at the site that has funded the project. The state legislature refused to take part……..We are proud of the fact that the memorial is privately funded…This week we opened a new exhibit in the little stone cottage on the pathway..It features displays on the grand resort Profile House and cottages that stood on the site between the cottage and aerial tramway from 1853-1923 until destroyed by fire whose owners sold the land to the state for a park with the assistance of the Society of NH Forests…Before the organization sunsets on 12/31/2018 we hope to complete a walking trail around Profile Lake and add more interpretive signing…About 35,000 visitors come to the Plaza between Memorial Day and Columbus Day……..Thanks so much for featuring the Old Man Memorial……Come on down and see it for yourself…….Dick
In 1954, when I was 8, my parents took my brother and me on an epic trip to New England just before school began. I willalways remember seeing The Old Man. Hurts my heart to think of him being gone, and I had not been aware of that. I am stunned by the active replacement so that people can get the feeling of the outcrop. Bless the people who brought it back as well as that, and I won’t forget that experience.
Every year while a child we went to NH from RI on vacation. We always looked for the Old Man. I was so sad when he fell.
Went to Loon Mountain in early 97 and of course had to stop and visit The Old Man.
got some great shots of him .
I just learned tonight he’s now gone but never Forgotten
I saw the Old Man many times on my drives on the Kangamangus Highway! So wonderful!! A wonderful memory of my younger days!!
Our parents took us to the White Mountains every fall to see the foliage, the flume, and the Old Man. I have such wonderful memories of those special family holidays. Living in Massachusetts, it wasn’t too difficult to get up there fairly often. My dad took lots of movies with his old Brownie movie camera, so we still have the Old Man in his prime. I couldn’t believe it when I heard what happened to him. So sad! Thanks to all the people who organized and built such a meaningful memorial. It’s “just right”…the Old Man would have loved it.
Along with a hiking pal we did all of the New England four thousand footers completing them in 1987. The notch is one of my favorite areas. I can’t believe that it’s been fourteen years since th Old Man died.
I GREW UP IN BERLIN, NH, 40 MILES FROM FRANCONIA NOTCH. MY MOTHERS’ MOTHER USED TO LOVE TO VISIT THE OLD MAN EVERY SUMMER AND SO DID I AND MY MOTHER. I REMEMBER WALKING FROM THE CAR TO OUR VANTAGE POINT AND LOVING TO WATCH HIS REFLECTION IN PROFILE LAKE. ALSO, WHEN I LEFT THERE, FOR COLLEGE, I WENT TO BU FOR ONE SEMESTER AND UNH FOR THE REMAINDER AND GRADUATED FROM UNH, I USED TO DRIVE BY THE OLD MAN WHEN I WAS VISITING MY RELATIVES IN BERLIN. MOST OF THE TIME HE WAS VISIBLE, EVEN IN BAD WEATHER, HOWEVER, HE WAS “SHROUDED IN FOG” SEVERAL TIMES WHEN I PAID HOMAGE TO “THE MAN”. I JUST LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM AND KNEW HOW HE CAME TO BE GEOLOGICALLY AND HISTORICALLY BECAUSE I WAS ALWAYS INTERESTED IN THAT SORT OF THING. AFTER HE FELL I MANAGED TO FIND IN SOME ANTIQUES SHOPS WERE I WAS SHOPPING FOR MERCHANDISE FOR RESALE A LOT OF OLD MAN SOUVENIRS. I MADE A POINT OF BUYING ONE OF THE MULTIPLE POST CARD FOLIOS THEY SOLD IN THE GIFT SHOP AND I MANAGED TO FIND A GERMAN PORCELAIN CUP AND SAUCER MADE FOR THE SHOP TO SELL. IN 1892 PRESIDENT MC KINLEY PASSED A TARIFF ACT (KNOWN AS THE MC KINLEY ACT) REQUIRING EVERYTHING IMPORTED INTO THIS COUNTRY TO BE MARKED WITH ITS COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, WHICH IS HOW I KNOW THIS CUP AND SAUCER IS FROM GERMANY. I BELIEVE, FROM ITS STYLE AND FORM THAT IT WAS MADE AROUND 1914, JUST PRIOR TO WORLD WAR 1. I WATCHED EVERY TIME I DROVE BY HIM VERY CAREFULLY, BECAUSE THAT ROAD IS “VERY CURVY IN THAT VICINITY”, FOR HIM “TO APPEAR” AND WHEN HE DID I ALWAYS HAD A SMILE ON MY FACE!
Mimi, don’t use all caps – it’s the equivalent of shouting. (Although, you might have meant to shout your enthusiasm!)
Thank you for the great article. As a resident of NH since 1992, I loved the Old Man and also so very upset when he slipped away. The old post card you feature in the article reminds me that I have a post card of the same vintage that featured the Old Woman of the Mountain. Does she still exist? My mother and I bought that card on one of the trips to visit. A beautiful place!
Yes, Lee Anne, the “watcher” or Old Lady, as I refer to the figure, is still there. I do see her on my weekly round trip north through the Notch. Losing the Old Man was tough for me as I remember viewing him over 70 years ago on yearly trips north from MA on vacations with my parents. Now I am blessed to be living just 20 miles south since 1977.
Growing up in New Hampshire I first saw the Old Man of the Mountain as a child. Later in life while attending Plymouth Teachers College (now Plymouth State University) our Outing Club made many trips to Franconia Notch to ski and climb. Like many others, we knew the Old Man would always be there.
I worked many summers very close to “The Old Man” and passed him thousands of times! He WAS part of N.H. history. He is dearly missed! I feel so lucky to have seen him but sorry I took him for granted that he would always be there. Thank you for telling his story!
All is not lost…. there is another profile in the area. Go to the south shore of Profile Lake and look up at a cleft in Eagle Cliff. Looking down is another stone face – the watcher. It can be viewed from closer up by following the ridge from the junction of routes 3 and 18, though it’s a rough bushwhack, but the reward is a close-up view of the watcher looking down on the notch.
Thank you, Paul! I had no idea about The Watcher. It was kind of you to let others know about him (or her?).
My son called first! Mom, the Old Man on the Mountain fell. He was so upset, my older son also. We visited every year, coming from NY and went again last Summer for our visit with the Old Man. Just love it but still miss the original.
Did you know? The Old Man fell off the mountain on Mother’s Day that year. So sad.
I am a 5th generation native of Massachusetts and visited NH every summer with my family when my brother and I were growing up. The Old Man of the Mountains was always a favorite stop on our adventures. I was saddened the day he collapsed. I am just reading now that there has been a memorial so will have to go back and see it. My husband and I now live in CT near the NY border so it is a few hours away, but we will definitely make the drive to see the memorial. What a great tribute, thank you so much all who were involved making the memorial as a tribute to The Old Man !!!
I use drive up from laconia after work to fly fish profile lake while the old man watched over me thx for the memories
I viewed “The Old Man In The Mountain” sometime between 1986 and 1988. I do have pictures I took. I’m from Newton, NJ. He was an awesome sight. Plan on visiting his Memorial next fall.
I first remember reading the story by Nathaniel Hawthorne “The Old Man of the Mountain” as a child. How blessed I was to visit the actual site when Bob was showing the sites of New England (even have a slide of me with The Old Man of The Mountain in the background). He was, indeed, like another member of the family. Was so very sad when we learned he was no more in 2003.
My daughter bought a new camera. The first picture was to be of the Old Man. She got the kids up early and drove north to take that picture when the sun was just coming up. But when they got there the Old Man was gone. She called us crying and told us what has happened. I called Lancaster Highway and told them. The person thought I was joking and said it was not so. I told her to call state police to check. It was a sad day, I still look that way on the way south to see the kids. The old woman and child are still there to watch as we go by the pond.
Our family used to go camping near The Old Man. My daughter was around 8 years old and would not go to sleep until she said good night to The Old Man. Every evening before she got in her sleeping bag we would drive up to The Old Man so she could say her good night to him. She’s in her 30’s now. I always remember her desire to say good night to him when we visit the site. I certainly miss seeing him up there on the mountain. It was an amazing to see and comforting to many.
Thanks for all you do for Northern New Hampshire; Please view my 250 page effort at NHnorth.us /
Are old framed pictures of The Old Man of the Mountain worth anything?? I have a framed one that my mother had in her things which I cleaned out after she died.
My uncle moved to New Hampshire when I was 5 years old and family vacations from then on usually meant a trip to visit New Hampshire. One of my favorite memories from those trip was when we went to the mountains. The trips included the Flume Gorge, Cog Railroad, Cannon Mountain and always-always-always the Old Man. On May 3, 2003 I heard the news of the Old Man sliding quietly down the mountainside. It was a bittersweet day because I was attending my Godson’s wedding and was between the ceremony and the reception when I heard it on the radio. I cried form the loss of the Old Man and smiled with joy for the new life for the Young Man. I still shed a tear when I think about the Old Man not being there on that mountainside from the memory of my childhood. Thanks for the article.
I went to visit my daughter in the Summer of 1994 while she was living in NH at the time with her husband & daughter and got to see & take photos of the Old Man on the Mountain. I’ll never forget him! I was saddened to hear of his demise!
I saw the original “Old Man” many years ago. In 2011 I found myself back @ Profile Lake to see how they put the old man back up. It’s not the same, but it is a very good likeness. Go see it if you’re in the area…well worth the trip.
We went to see the “old man” about a year ago never dreaming that he no longer there. When we walked down the Profiler Plaza trail with signs directing you to see the “old man” along the way, we thought it was the biggest “gotcha” we had ever experienced when we reached the plaza. It is the greatest joke ever played on the unsuspecting public. So much hype for an icon no longer in existence, it is a great practical joke!
My family went camping every year for 4th of July near what we called “Owl Rock” which was close to a park that later was a national park. We would stop at Granite State potato chip company with the logo of the “Old Man” on the box, get a sour pickle and a big box of potato chips to snack on for the long ride to the park. We stopped to see the “Old Man” on our way, Devil’s Basin, took a sip of spring water from a natural spring in the rocks, and camped for a week at the park. Those were the best years of our life. We did this for many years before I lost my Father to a heart attack, and have never been back again. When I heard of the demise of the “Old Man” I was heartbroken to lose both memories of those very special days. I will always remember both “Old Men” with fondest memories.
It’s a different kind of story, that of the old man. No one intentionally knocked him down, no one flew a plane into him or removed his lower supports. We can’t blame anyone or anything for his collapse. It’s not the kind of news story one reads about today. Our first instinct is to fix it, rebuild it, take some negligent person to court. But none of that is even remotely possible. I guess it’s what nature wanted. Maybe it was bound to happen eventually anyway. Maybe he was like a real old man and his time here had ended. He’s just no longer with us. But he lives on in our hearts.
I grew up in Manchester New Hampshire visiting The Old Man every summer. When my children were young we continued the trip. It was like visiting an old uncle. When my family and I moved to California and Abroad ,we would come back to New Hampshire to see The Old Man again and again. When I heard he was no more, it was a very sad day indeed. New Hampshire will never be the same for me.
I first saw The Old Man in the early snows of late 1968 as we headed north from Boston University to ski Cannon Mountain and Mittersill. We had to pull over and take a gander so the out of state rube in the auto, I, could take in the Old Man’s impassive and impressive visage. Visiting The Old Man became de rigueur on every sojourn from that first view forward.
It’d be fair to say that The Old Man also holds a special place in my heart because my now dearly departed father is also fondly known to all and sundry as the old man and it was the old man who taught me to sail and ski. And without the latter, I never would’ve met The Old Man. Both old men were rich in stories and in the patina of age. I miss them both.
My family and I arrived in Manchester on the Friday before he fell in 2003. It was 70 degrees and sunny. We drove our rental car to Sugar Hill, NH, and on the way tried to see the Old Man. By that time, fog had rolled in and it was lightly raining. It was such a disappointment for me that I could not show my grandchildren this wonderful sight. The next morning, the headlines in the newspaper was “He’s Gone!” We could not believe it. I think he will always be there in our hearts. So glad to see what they have done to memorialize him. I live in Virginia now, but hope to get there one more time.
We visited the Old Man just after Columbus day in 2002. The day was sunny and the temperature was around 70 when we hit the NH state line. As we got higher in elevation, the sky darkened and the temperature began to drop. It was cloudy , windy, and raw by the time we reached the observation area for the Old Man. I took out my camera and managed to get two pictures. I was about to change to my zoom lens for close-up shot but my hands were shaking from the cold. We decided to return the next Autumn for better pictures but it was not to be.
We were listening to the radio the next year when we heard the news of the Old Man’s demise. I glad we managed to see the Old Man that one time and returned in the Fall to pay our last respects.
I visited the old man in 1984 as part of a Scout exchange from Coventry UK to Coventry RI it was a truly magnificent sight I feel fortunate I have photographs of the view. I am sad that visitors cannot now see the old man in his glory.
I was first introduced to “The Old Man” about 1948 (I was 6) by my father. I was in awe that he was there. It was a thrill to a small boy. I revisited many times as I grew older and became an adult. I learned that I had Native heritage and this was a special thing for the Native people, so he became even more a part of me. I miss him, but my memories are still contained in me, now that I am an “old man”.
I visited NH and the Old Man last June…went to Profiler Plaza and liked it very much. Stood in the foot steps, visited the little museum/gift store. Even with the OM, New Hampshire was still heads and tails above the other NE states. My favorite by far. A gorgeous state y’all have there- and that’s a great compliment coming from the beautiful state of Washington!
I had visited more times than I can count on my 67 years. I was lucky enough to bring my son twice before the end, best part he does remember him. Sad that such a famous landmark is gone forever. Happy that they have found away to make him live on for future generations but it’s not the same.
I have an old picture of my husband and me taken in October 1971 with the blazing autumn colors behind us and the Old Man above. Before the road was rebuilt or the Old Man fell, or the Profile plaza came into being, before all that the OLD MAN was ours. We keep his photo in the living room… He lives in so many memories.
As a child in the 1960’s and 70’s, long before the Interstate went through Franconia Notch, my family frequently traveled from Massachusetts to the White Mountains to climb the mountains and/or enjoy the fall leaves. Whenever we drove through Franconia Notch, either from south to north or north to south, I always enjoyed looking at the cliff where the Old Man of the Mountain was to watch his profile slowly appear or disappear. My father thought (and I agreed) that the Old Man, when viewed from the south instead of the traditional view from the north, looked like the very wrinkled face of an old Native American man. Does anyone else agree? I was greatly saddened when I learned the Old Man was gone. I never had the chance to show him to my daughter.
An awesome place . been there many times with children & grandchildren
When you are walking down the path to the profiler plaza what are the pointed rocks on the left called.
That New Hampshire has lost its identity and not replaced it is a tragedy. A fibre glass replica, or similar material could resurrect the States Logo.
I entirely disagree that New Hampshire has “lost it’s identity”. Although the majestic visage of the beloved Old Man of the Mountain can no longer be viewed in person, New Hampshire has so much more to offer both to it’s inhabitants and to visitors. The Old Man’s profile is not the state’s sole identity source.
It broke the hearts of my entire family when he fell but New Hampshire now keeps his legacy and his memory at the forefront of the state’s attraction.
New Hampshire’s “identity” is not lost anymore than Wyoming would become blank space on the US map if Devil’s Tower were to disintegrate into the earth or Old Faithful was reduced to a lukewarm puddle.
For my family, passing by the rainbow painted Boston Gas tank on the drive to and from the NH border marks both the beginning and ending of our trips to the Granite State. However, I remember when there were TWO Boston Gas tanks when I was a child. After all these years, there still exists a subtle nagging in the back of my brain whispering, “It looks the same… but you know thats not the original painted tank!”. In no way am I comparing a natural geological phenomenon such as The Old Man of the Mountain to a man-made gas tank, simply demonstrating that a replica is not always the way to go! If you believe it is, perhaps start working on waterfall facsimiles…we mustn’t let New York cease to be identifiable if Niagra Falls suddenly dries up!
I’ve thought about this a million times. I appreciate that today, one has to stand in a spot to see what it looked like. It’s a noble response. I appreciate it.
I understand the “leave it alone crowd”.
The fact is, the state for years tried to save it with cables and cement. Roughly a century of attempts.
It seems one could make a much lighter replica (not fiberglass, but steel and not shiny, but matte) and fix it to the rocks behind.
Some may not like it but it is a state symbol. The kids might never know it.
With all the photos we have, it’s doable.
Maybe when enough curmudgeons pass, the kids will be upset enough to do it. I remember seeing it. It didn’t look real then. It was too perfect. I loved it. I wish we could resolve this without invoking god or accepting the opinion of the author, no offense.
If done right, it could last a very long time.
When it first fell, I thought the people of New Hampshire would rebuild it. Their highways cut through granite mountains all over the state.
It wouldn’t be offensive to redo it. It wouldn’t be arrogant.
My family lived in different parts of New Hampshire for a century and a half. I’d like to say my piece. We may not all agree but that’s part of living free. And I’m not dead yet.
I like your idea, the new one may not be real but, people will love it !!!
I grew up in Vermont. We would go through Franconia Notch when we went to Connecticut to visit my grandmother. Seeing the Old Man in the Mountain always fascinated me. I took my wife and in-laws through there in ’87 when I was in the Air Force. I agree that it should be restored. It is a monumental piece of history. While the recreation would not be real; it would be a real tribute to the Old Man.
I remember watching for the ” Old Man ” when going on ski trips with my fav uncle , I was so excited ! I actually cried At the age of 58 – the day it came down !
Building a likeness of The Old Man would be an irreverent act. Some people do build statutes of people who died and prop them up in a cemetery or town square, but for the the most part, we grieve the loss, make an appropriate marker, and pay our respects. The innovative design that allows us to “see” the Old Man without a manmade replica is a perfect tribute. We show our children what the Old Man looked like, or remind ourselves again of his protective visage, but we can also view his former “home” on the ledge as it now appears. Like many family homes in New England, this spot on Cannon Cliff was the birthplace of the Old Man, his lifelong home, and now, his grave. It is a cycle as pure and time-honored as the granite hill from which he was fashioned. His memorial is exactly as it should be.
I was there a few years ago. A perfect tribute and artistic creation to the original natural formation. I can’t think of a better way to perpetuate the legacy of the old man.
The first time I saw the Old Man of the Mountain was June 1952. I was on a weekend graduation trip to NH by one of my 8th grade classmates mother and father. We were all mesmerized by this amazing natural rock formation from the last Ice Age 10,000 years ago. It will be a lasting memory for me, but sadly my grandchildren will never see the real thing. We come to NH and the mountains every year, we love this wonderful state.
Has anyone ever seen the profile of the woman below where the old man once stood. The story goes that she was tired of supporting the old man!
My family and I have visited the Old Man in the Mountain every year of my life, sometimes multiple times a year. He is in countless family photos and videos spanning 40+ years, framed portraits of him adorn the walls of our homes, he became part of our family. We were devastated when we heard the news. I remember arriving July 17th, 2003 to where we visited the Old Man only months before, my mum and sisters crying in each others arms. We still visit NH just as often and we still visit Franconia Notch to reminisce, tell our children memories of the Old Man and have our picnic on the grass beneath his towerng mountain.
I just finished teaching “The Great Stone Face” by Nathaniel Hawthorne to high schoolers. We are in the Atlanta area, so we have our own great piece of granite–Stone Mountain, with which the students are familiar. Although the carving on Stone Mountain is manmade, they were able to identify with a natural feature that everyone in the area is familiar with. I shared several of the links of