NH “Old Man of the Mountain” Rock Formation

Famous Rock Formations: New Hampshire’s “Old Man of the Mountains”

The Old Man of the Mountain, once located in Franconia Notch, New Hampshire, was a series of five granite cliff ledges on the backside of Cannon Mountain that was first discovered in 1805 and collapsed in 2003. Today, a memorial to the Old Man of the Mountain is located near the base of the mountain. NH’s Old Man of the Mountain was first made famous by Daniel Webster, a NH statesman. The famous NH rock formation went on to be memorialized in the writings of Nathaniel Hawthorne. Even after its collapse, Old Man of the Mountain continues to be the NH state emblem and can be seen on road signs, the NH quarter, and on NH license plates.  Thank you for visiting, to feature your NH business, contact us.

New Hampshire Old Man of the Mountains

Plan a New Hampshire vacation – Visit the White Mountain Region.

It was like a joke that had no punch line, after standing guard over New Hampshire’s White Mountains for centuries, the Granite state’s rugged profile is gone.

The Old Man of the Mountain – a jagged, granite profile located in the White Mountain National Park has slid into history as mysteriously as he appeared. Sometime in the late evening of May 2, 2003, or early morning hours of Saturday, May 3, 2003, New Hampshire’s symbol of freedom and independence vanished, the victim no doubt of a late-spring thaw that loosened the famous profile. The profile was obscured by clouds on Thursday and Friday, so the exact time of the Old Man’s departure is not known.

On Sunday morning, May 4th State of New Hampshire workers could be seen examining the ledges that once were known as “Old Man of the Mountain”. Visitors began arriving at this well-known attraction shortly after sunrise. Some to pray, some to photograph, some to leave a message, and others to see for themselves the departure of what many thought would be a lifelong reminder of New Hampshire.

One of New Hampshire’s most-photographed natural wonders, The Old Man of the Mountain has attracted millions of visitors since in the 1800s. The profile was about 1,200 feet above Interstate 93, about 65 miles north of Concord, NH in the White Mountain National Park.

Daniel Webster, a 19th century New Hampshire statesman, once wrote, referring to the Old Man, “In the mountains of New Hampshire, God Almighty has hung out a sign to show that there He makes men.” That symbol is gone but the beauty of this region lives on and his spirit reminds all of us that change is inevitable and often arrives without notice.

The “Old Man of the Mountain” viewing area binoculars now displays a close-up view of a sheer ledge, the “Old Stone Face” configuration of granite gone.

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