Old Man of the Mountain/Profile Lake - The Great Stone Face - Franconia, NH - Literary Sites on Waymarking.com

In Franconia, within the Franconia Notch of the White Mountains, is Profile Lake Plaza, which marks the location where you could view the 'Old Man of the Mountain,' which was featured in Nathaniel Hawthorne's story, 'The Great Stone Face.'

To get there, from the Franconia Parkway (between two segments of I-93), get off at the exit to Cannon Mountain/Profile View, then follow the signs to the parking area - there are two available, then walk on paths to the plaza at the north end of Profile Lake.

The plaza has been recently installed. It is a stone and stone tile area that features four posts with fixtures at the end where, if you stand at the right place marked on the plaza, you can see a recreated view of the profile when you align the fixture with the cliff above. At the time of the visit, there were volunteers to help you and talk about the location. Recently, the rock ledges that made up the Old Man of the Mountain fell at once.

Nathaniel Hawthorne was a famous author, better known for the novels, 'House of Seven Gables,' and 'The Scarlet Letter.' This tale, 'The Great Stone Face,' is a short work that was originally published as a serial in Whittier's magazine, 'The National Era,' in January 1850, and appeared in other publications, as well. At the time, it was widely read and was the best known story featuring the Old Man of the Mountain. The story centers around a boy as he matures into a man. He lives in Franconia Notch, right by Profile Lake and at or near this location. The story starts with a general description of Franconia Notch and how people lived in the area. The story then describes the face itself. Then, the story has a conversation with a boy and his mother, including his mother relating a prophecy that one day a child would be born in this area who would become one of the noblest people known and have a countenance of that of the Old Man of the Mountain. The story continues where various people appear and are compared to the Old Man of the Mountain, save at the end.

There is a structure at the upper lot that has a gift shop where you can purchase a copy of the story. It is small and thin, but it does contain some comments that either clarify some points in Hawthorne's story.

Short Description: The site where you could see Old Man of the Mountain, which was featured in 'The Great Stone Face.' Book Title: The Great Stone Face First Year Published: 1/24/1850 Author's Name: Nathaniel Hawthorne Name of Waymarked Item: Old Man of the Water - Profile Lake Location of Item: Franconia Notch State Park More Information: The specific site is at or near where the main character, a boy, lived and grows up. Admission Price?: 0.00 (listed in local currency) Link to more information about the book or waymarked item.: [Web Link]

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Date Logged Log   10/09/2022 The Burrow visited it