N.H.’s ‘Old Man of the Mountain’ Fell 14 Years Ago Today

The “Old Man of the Mountain,” a granite rock formation in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, looked like the rugged profile of a man’s face. The 40-foot-high figure had been emblematic of New Hampshire for over 300 years.

But on 3 May 2003 the “Old Man of the Mountain” collapsed.

Photo: the “Old Man of the Mountain” on 26 April 2003, seven days before the collapse
Photo: the “Old Man of the Mountain” on 26 April 2003, seven days before the collapse. A late spring snow fell the night before. Credit: Jeffrey Joseph; Wikimedia Commons.

This 1988 newspaper article quoted Daniel Webster’s comment about the iconic New Hampshire landmark:

“Men hang out their signs indicative of their respective trades. Shoemakers hang out a gigantic shoe; jewelers a monster watch; even 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 man.”

An article about New Hampshire's "Old Man of the Mountain," Springfield Union newspaper article 12 June 1988
Source: GenealogyBank, Springfield Union (Springfield, Massachusetts), 12 June 1988, page 85

This 2003 newspaper article reported the collapse of the “Old Man of the Mountain,” and showed before and after photographs.

An article about New Hampshire's "Old Man of the Mountain," Advocate newspaper article 4 May 2003
Source: GenealogyBank, Advocate (Stamford, Connecticut), 4 May 2003, page 24

GenealogyBank’s Historical Newspaper Archives not only give you the stories of your ancestors’ lives, but also report on the times they lived in and the events they and their communities experienced.

4 thoughts on “N.H.’s ‘Old Man of the Mountain’ Fell 14 Years Ago Today

  1. THank you for keeping the Old Man alive in some hearts. I work for the State and recently fielded questions on why the lake under the OLD MAN is called Profile Lake:-( We are about to go into a generation that never knew that great rock face.

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