As early as 1876, observers had warned that the rocks of the Profile were shifting and slipping, and scientists predicted that one day the formation would collapse. Since then, many specialists and volunteers worked to prolong the lifespan of the state's official emblem.

In the summer of 1958, a major state-sponsored effort to stabilize the Old Man included the addition of four large steel rods and turnbuckles. The largest of those is displayed in the Plaza. It weighs 700 pounds and is 21 feet long. It came down with the collapse of the Old Man in 2003, and was retrieved by helicopter from the rubble beneath the cliff in October, 2010. The only other artifact to be recovered is a smaller end section of a similar rod. That piece is now on display at the Tramway Building.

The remaining end of this rod and parts of three other large rods are still imbedded in the cliff above, and can be seen with binoculars or a telephoto lens.

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Show me all markers in:  Franconia, NH  |  Grafton County  |  03580  |  New Hampshire  |  United States of America

Viewing the Old Man
Franconia Notch
A Delicate Balance
The Old Man of the Mountain
Why is it called A NOTCH?
Profile Lake
Eagle Cliff
Landslides
Old Man of the Mountain
The Appalachian Trail

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