What Lies Ahead for the Old Man?

By Trish Anderton on Monday, May 5, 2003.

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Governor Craig Benson has begun appointing a task force to decide what to do with the former location of the Old Man of the Mountain. The great stone face slid from its perch in Franconia Notch this weekend, an apparent victim of time and gravity.

Click here to see pictures of the scene in Franconia Notch on Saturday, May 3rd.

The governor says all options are on the table, including rebuilding the Old Man. That idea is getting a mixed response from Granite Staters. NHPR’s Trish Anderton spent the weekend in Franconia Notch and files this report.

ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON, CARS, MOTORCYCLES AND EVEN BICYCLES FLOW STEADILY INTO THE OLD MAN VIEWING AREA ON I-93 NORTH.

SOME PEOPLE LEAVE FLOWERS.

OTHERS TAKE PICTURES AND VIDEOS.

OTHERS SIMPLY STAND AND STARE.

JIM PATENODE CAME HERE ON HIS HARLEY.

HE SAYS THE STATE SHOULD TRY TO REBUILD THE HISTORIC ROCK FACE.

27 42 I think thatd be a good thing to do. its what we ahh. its new
hampsha.

BERLIN MAYOR BOB DANDERSON AGREES.

DANDERSON ROLLED THROUGH THE TURNOUT ON HIS MOUNTAIN BIKE.

HE SAYS THE OLD MAN PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE STATE'S PSYCHE.

I like the symbolism. I remember what Daniel Webster said, this is gods way of showing what we create in nh, we create good men and women, and I think we need to still have it.

BUT THE STONES THAT MADE UP THE OLD MAN WERE MOSTLY SMASHED.

ANY RE-CREATION WOULD PROBABLY CONSIST LARGELY OF NEW MATERIALS.

AND FOR MANY PEOPLE HERE, AN ARTIFICIAL REPLACEMENT COULD NEVER FILL THE SAME NICHE.

HARRY HUGHEN IS FROM CAMPTON.

34 30 I think it was natural and we shouldn't try to restore it. wouldn't be the same.

OLE WANASELJA OF LACONIA AGREES A NEW OLD MAN WOULD BE A DISAPPOINTMENT.

HE'D LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING MORE PATRIOTIC: FLAGS.

an American flag and a new Hampshire flag, adjacent to each other, large ones, that will be visible to everyone.

WANASELJA ADMITS FRANCONIA NOTCH'S HOWLING BLIZZARDS PRESENT A CHALLENGE.

BUT, HE SAYS, MAYBE THE FLAGS COULD BE PAINTED ON THE ROCK, OR FRAMED WITH SOME KIND OF SUPER-STRONG PLASTIC OR ALUMINUM.

10-YEAR OLD DEREK COWAN OF CONCORD HAS ANOTHER IDEA.

COWAN WAS IN THE NOTCH SUNDAY, HIKING WITH HIS BOY SCOUT TROOP.

MOST OF HIS FELLOW SCOUTS FAVOR REBUILDING THE OLD MAN.

BUT COWAN WORRIES THE NEW ONE MIGHT FALL TOO, AND HURT SOMEBODY.

HE THINKS THE STATE SHOULD CONTENT ITSELF WITH A SMALL REPLICA.
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I think they shd just put a statue up there where people go and they could remember the old man of the mountain. // just like the mountain with the head on it.

SOME PEOPLE FIND THE IDEA OF REBULDING THE OLD MAN SIMPLY LAUGHABLE.

DAVID SCHAEFER IS FRANCONIA'S TOWN MODERATOR.

HE CAME TO LOOK AT THE OLD MAN ON SATURDAY.

I think it's a terrible idea. absolutely bad taste. I can understand . whose idea was it anyway? (laughs). tell me it wasn't some politician! its an awful idea.

SCHAEFER HAS A MORE PLAYFUL SUGGESTION.

I thought we'd put up a sign that said that's where it was, and points to the .. that would do. (laughs)

OTHERS PUT A PHILOSOPHICAL SPIN ON THE OLD MAN'S DEMISE.

ERICA SPARLIN IS FROM BERLIN.

SHE SAYS IF YOU LOOK AT THE MOUNTAIN FROM A DIFFERENT SPOT, ABOUT A QUARTER MILE SOUTH OF THE VIEWING AREA, YOU CAN SEE ANOTHER, SMALLER FACE.

everything gives birth to something else. maybe we never noticed the one lower because we were too busy looking at the other one. and its just a matter of looking at the world in a diff way now.

AND SOME ADVOCATE PATIENCE.

EARLENE NOWELL CAME HERE FROM 57 MILES AWAY IN MADISON.

SHE STANDS BY HERSELF, SHADING HER EYES WITH HER HAND AND GAZING QUIETLY UP.

REBUILDING THE OLD MAN MIGHT BE NICE, SHE SAYS, BUT IT WOULD NEVER BE THE SAME.

THEN SHE PAUSES AND ADDS: MAYBE MOTHER NATURE WILL GIVE US SOMETHING ELSE.

FOR NHPR NEWS I'M TRISH ANDERTON IN FRANCONIA NOTCH.