The Old Man of the Mountain was the symbol of New Hampshire. The profile of the granite cliffs on Cannon Mountain were emblazoned on the state’s license along with the motto ‘Live Free or Die’. Daniel Webster immortalized the stone face with the words. “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 sign was not meant for eternity and in 2003 the Old Man of the Mountain succumbed to the forces of Nature and tumbled down the slope in a massive rockslide. 2003. Franconia Notch has been lonely with its demise. Mourning citizens leave flowers at the base of the cliff and now some legislators have suggested that the State build a plastic statue to re-mask the rock formation.
This new Man of the Mountain would offer admirers a scenic skywalk within the monument and lights would blaze within the structure.
Sounds great, but as a New Englander this project to resurrectg the dead seems like trying to fix something that’s perfectly broken and there’s no fixing something like that. Probably won’t stop from people from trying, but there’s plenty enough fools in New Hampshire to pursue an impossible dream.
After all it is part of the Red Sox Nation.