A picture I took in October 2002Daniel Webster once said, ..."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."

The Old Man of the Mountain was made up of Red Granite, rested on Cannon Mountain, and was visible from a few points off Route 93 and near Profile Lake. The Old Man was said to be somewhere between 2,000 and 10,000 years old.

The Old Man collapsed sometime between Thursday May 1st and Saturday morning May 3rd. No one is sure when the Old Man fell since the mountain was shrouded in clouds and fog until Saturday morning. The only thing left is a few cables and epoxy that was holding the Old Man together.

The Old man was the symbol of New Hampshire and is on road signs, license plates, the state coin, and countless brochures. Governor Craig Benson is looking into the possibility of revitalizing the Old Man and has set up a fund to do so.

To contribute, send your donations to:

Old Man of the Mountain Revitalization Fund
c/o Governor's Office
State House
Concord, NH 03301

Before and after photos at the Boston Globe

Vote! Should the Old Man of the Mountain be Restored?