(Concord, N.H.) The Old Man of the Mountain, the enduring symbol of the State of New Hampshire, is no more. Some time between Friday evening and Saturday morning, the stone profile that draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to Franconia Notch State Park each year collapsed. On Saturday, May 3 at approximately 7:30 a.m., two Franconia Notch State Park employees noticed that the Old Man of the Mountain had collapsed. At this time it appears as though the forehead and the nose are missing.

Currently, state officials including Governor Craig R. Benson, Department of Resources and Economic Development Commissioner George Bald, the State Police, Department of Fish and Game and Franconia Notch State Park employees are assessing the damage and ensuring that there are no safety issues.

The weather has been extremely harsh in Franconia Notch over the last few days. High winds, fog and heavy rain, along with freezing temperatures overnight, may have all contributed to the collapse, although no official cause can be determined until a full inspection of the site takes place.

Updates regarding the Old Man collapse will be provided as available.