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The Old Man of the Mountain once cast a steady gaze upon the slopes of Franconia Notch. Its profile drew writers, explorers and presidents, delighting all who glimpsed its features. But when it collapsed on May 3, 2003, the Old Man seemed forever lost. Veteran historian Bruce Heald and the last caretaker of the Old Man, David Nielsen, have gathered 101 images from the profile's long history. These one-of-a-kind photos from Nielsen's private collection depict four decades of preservation work, seismic testing by national experts, visits from dignitaries and rare memorabilia. With Nielsen's personal reflections on his life's work and Heald's notes on the history of the Old Man, this volume recaptures the wonder of New Hampshire's great stone face.
About the author
Dr. Bruce D. Heald is an adjunct American history professor, Plymouth State University; Babes-Bylyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania associate professor; West Point lecturer; M.S. Mount Washington senior purser; author of over forty books and many New England history articles; fellow, International Biographical Association and World Literary Academy in Cambridge, UK; American Biographical Institute 1993 Gold Medal of Honor for literary achievement recipient; and New Hampshire General Court representative. Career journalist and farmer Steve Taylor retired after serving for twenty-five years as commissioner with the department of agriculture. He was founding executive director of the New Hampshire Humanities Council and a founding board member and board chair of Leadership New Hampshire from 1993 to 1998. Steve currently serves on several nonprofit boards and is a lecturer on New Hampshire agricultural history for the Humanities Council. He has served as town and school district moderator since 1980.
