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The Old Man meant a lot to me
From the time I was a child
The yearly trips to see his face
His strength arising from the wild
New Hampshire holds a special place
In my heart and those of others
The Old Man always stood so proud
And symbolized that "we are brothers"
For us who have had the privilege
Of comfort from this face of stone
Let us be tasteful in memorializing
This image for our own
Goodbye Old Man
Though we cannot see your face
In our hearts and souls
You have a special place
I dedicate this poem to my father (John Isaacson) who brought me every year as a child to view this amazing landmark.
Karen Isaacson Thys...Centerville, MA - 5/11/03
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Unfortunately, I cannot be there today. I now live in IL. I certainly miss my lakes & mountains, as I grew up in the center of NH. My dad's friends used to kid him about posing for the carving. I especially share that now, because so many people do not understand the significance of the profile on the NH quarter. I knew that The Old Man had had rather regular face lifts, but it is devastating to think of his 'losing face.' I would like to see a current photograph. Of course, a major face lift is a dubious thought, but I suppose that plan does win more votes than letting nature take its course & losing such an indescribable landmark. I, quite sincerely, would appreciate updates on this matter.
Is Dittrich, very proud daughter of Milton S. Graton, The Last of the Covered Bridge Builders
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Hello to all in New Hampshire,
It was a very sad day when I heard about the fall of the Old Man of the Mountain rock formation. I saw the rock formation for the first time in the early 70's when I visited my brother and his wife who reside in Manchester, NH. I was still in high school at the time, but I remember it vividly. I think I may even have a photo that I took of it stored somewhere. I was extremely sad to hear about the collapse of the formation. The story about the collapse was headline news on our local Internet provider based out of Houston, TX (Everyone's Internet) the same day it happened. I was happy to see that they carried the article on their home page. I have since read more about it and viewed the before and after photos in a CNN article on the web. I live in San Antonio, TX and just wanted to pass on my thoughts.
Sincerely, William C. Stribling
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I first became acquainted with the Old Man when I was just a young boy. It inspired me then, and his memory still inspires me now, nearly 40 years later. Just the thought of him there, high above, situated at the edge of Cannon Mountain, never fails to bring a feeling of awe and peaceful tranquility to my soul. Throughout the years, I would find myself making ANY excuse to make the approximate 3 hour drive from my home on Cape Cod just to drive through Franconia Notch and literally say "hello" to the Old Man. Today, I have a heavy heart. Goodbye old friend, I will miss you greatly.
Roland Babineau, So. Dennis, MA
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I was surprised and saddened when I heard on the news the Old Man tumbled on May 2, I thought he'd outlast us all. Franconia Notch is one of my favorite places and it's lost its most famous resident. I was thinking of taking vacation there this summer to show my wife the Old Man because she never got to see it, unfortunately she won't now. But the White Mountains are still a great place to visit and while the Old Man is gone - I feel fortunate to have seen him 3 times and each one was an unforgettable experience. Because the Profile meant so much to so many, is it really gauche to consider restoring him? After all - it's the state symbol.
Jim Donnelly
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I am from a large family from the 60's and when we went to see the Old Man my Dad would tell us when it was coming up. We'd all cram to one side of the car (hope you were not on that side to begin with because now you're on the bottom) and we'd wait and come around the corner and there he was - the Old Man big as can be and always an amazing sight. Then around another corner and gone, but we're still straining to see the last glimpse of him. I would still do this with my husband and son to this day. My husband comes from Jefferson so we travel through the Notch quite a bit. It will be very sad next time we go home. Good bye and good luck Old Man, we miss you already.
Sue Ayer
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