Old Man in the Mountain?

Ok, so two of you mentioned ';the man or old man in the mountain'; and that fact that it%26#39;s no longer there. My curiosity has been peaked! What or who was the old man? I figure I%26#39;d better know the folklore if I%26#39;m visiting the White Mountains this summer.

Thanks for sharing this NH story with a Pennsylvanian,

Doug

Old Man in the Mountain?

Hi Doug,

The Old Man of the Mountain was a natural rock formation perched on the side of Profile Mountain over looking Franconia Notch. The formation was such that when you looked at it from a particular angle it unmistakably took on the appearance of the profile of an old man overlooking the mountains. While you visit NH take a close look at our license plates and or our state quarter and you will see the old man there.

He stood overlooking our state for more than 2000 years until he slid from the mountainside in May 2003. I think the words of Daniel Webster best describe how the citizens of NH felt about the Old Man ';Men hang out their signs indicative of their respective trades; shoe makers hang out a gigantic shoe; jewelers a monster watch, and the dentist hangs out a gold tooth; but up in the Mountains of New Hampshire, God Almighty has hung out a sign to show that there He makes men.';

I hope this answers your question, and have a fabulous time this summer because even though the Old Man is no longer there, the White Mountains of NH still remain one of the most beautiful places on earth.

Jane

Old Man in the Mountain?

Great response from Inkepa! A lot of New Englanders have grieved over the loss of this symbol. As a kid, no trip to the mountains seemed complete without a visit to the Old Man.

I stopped at the Old Man of the Mountain last fall, even though the rocks had slid from the mountain. There is a very interesting exhibit there explaining how the rock formation had fallen, and some great before and after photos. It%26#39;s a beautiful spot, just off the road in Franconia Notch. Worth a visit.