Old Man of the Mountain
The Old Man of the Mountain, also called the Great Stone Face and the Profile, was a series of five granite cliff ledges on Cannon Mountain in Franconia, New Hampshire, United States, that appeared to be the jagged profile of a human face when viewed from the north. The rock formation, 1,200 feet (370 m) above Profile Lake, was 40 feet (12 m) tall and 25 feet (7.6 m) wide.
| Old Man of the Mountain | |
|---|---|
| Great Stone Face, The Profile | |
Old Man of the Mountain on April 26, 2003, seven days before the collapse | |
| Type | Rock formation (former) |
| Location | Cannon Mountain, Franconia, New Hampshire, United States |
| Coordinates | 44.1606203°N 71.6834169°W |
| Elevation | 3,130 feet (950 m) |
| Height | 40 feet (12 m) |
| Formed | ≈ 300 to 12,000 years ago |
| Demolished | May 3, 2003 (collapsed) |
Former location of the formation in New Hampshire | |
The Old Man of the Mountain is called "Stone Face" by the Abenaki and is a symbol within their culture. It is also a symbol to the Mohawk people. The first written mention of the Old Man was in 1805. It became a landmark and a cultural icon for the state of New Hampshire. It collapsed on May 3, 2003. After its collapse, residents considered replacing it with a replica, but the idea was ultimately rejected. It remains a visual icon on the state's license plates and in other places.