TBT: New Hampshire Loses Some Face In 2003
15 years ago today, one of the Granite State's iconic attractions was forever changed.
With respect to Alfred Hitchcock, the "old man in the mountain" can be argued as the world most famous profiles. The rock face of Cannon Mountain, first observed in 1805, was a series of granite ledges that resembled the profile of an old man. According to the Wikipedia page, The Old Man first became famous largely because Daniel Webster, who once wrote: "Men hang out their signs indicative of their respective trades; shoemakers 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."
Weather elements started to creep in, and by the 1920's cracks were seen in the forehead. Later, $25,000 was spent for more elaborate weather proofing. Nevertheless, the collapse happened in the early hours of May 3rd, 2003. A campaign to construct a replica in it's place failed, and the old man remains a memory to this day.