Slashdot Mirror
Replacing New Hampshire's Old Man of the Mountain
Holdstrong writes "New Hampshire's iconic natural rock formation, the Old Man of the Mountain, fell from its mountain-side perch back in 2003. Award-winning architect Francis D. Treves is proposing a monument to replace it. His idea would feature a replica of the Old Man made out of 250 suspended glass panels and would allow visitors to enter the structure in order to gain views of the valley below. The design has received harsh criticism from the public, in part, Mr. Treves believes, due to the fact that quality images and accurate information about his design have been hard to come by. Replacing a beloved natural monument with a man-made one is sure to bring out emotions. Will a clearer understanding of the design help sway public opinion?"
"Replacing a beloved natural monument with a man-made one is sure to bring out emotions. Will a clearer understanding of the design help sway public opinion?"
Definitely. They will be more accurate with their condemnations.
Sorry for calling it "rubble", but it is. Before you get that wrong, that was exactly what made it special. It was a natural formation that had a remarkable, curious structure. You cannot "remake" that. Should Old Faithful stop spewing, are you going to replace it with a pumping structure? In what way is that special? I could dig a hole right here and install a water pump.
What made this monument a monument was that it was a natural curiosity. Remaking it cheapens it.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
I know you are a slashdot old-timer such as myself and therefore do not read the fine articles. Because I question what self-professing nerd would think that this wasn't cool. Even if for but a second before your environmentalist knee-jerk happens.
Take the cheese to sickbay, the doctor should see it as soon as possible - B'Elanna Torres, "Learning Curve"
In Afghanistan, where the Taliban destroyed centuries-old statues, they are rebuilding them in stone. So too should the majesty of the stone face be returned in stone form.
If someone had gone and blown up the Old Man then I would be gung-ho to rebuild it as it was, but the Old Man just let go of his own accord. He'd been up there for what -- a few thousand years? And we'd gone and given him a facelift with cables and such a couple of times already.
If the Old Man of the Mountain finally fell down, then perhaps he should stay down where he fell. I like the idea of working in stone, as it's durable to last for another thousand years -- maybe taking the stone that fell down and building something lower-down on the slope? Part of the draw of the whole thing was the natural aspect of it. Whatever is done, I hope that they try to work with nature rather than fighting against it every step of the way.
coding is life
"Award-winning architect", "...proposing a monument to replace it."
Let me translate that: some bloke wants to build a monument to his own ego, and has seen an opportunity to do just that. Of course he has to indulge in a bit of sophistry to achieve his end, but if he told the truth nobody would buy it.
God save the world from award winning architects. They have nothing but their own ego motivating them. What you or I want is insignificant in the unreal world they live in.
The Franconia Notch has been my favorite hiking spot for years. From climbing up to Lonesome Lake to walking down the Flume, I think it is the one place in all of New Hampshire to stand up to the grandeur of places such as Yosemite. Climbing up along the ridge on top of Mount Lafayette is an amazing experience. One of the trails winds up along thirty foot waterfalls. At the top and on clear days, you can see the small black plume of smoke from a railroad car making its way up Mount Washington. The cliffs on Canon Mountain are just breathtaking as you drive by and look up at them.
The old man was just one natural attraction in a place full of them. The big problem with replacing it is that it would be like spray painting over a Da Vinci. Glass or otherwise. The old man was an amazing natural formation, but it is gone. I hope that they don't a dump over a truly beautiful place just so people can relive the past. I thought that was what pictures were for.
The mountain died. Get over it.
As an NH resident, well... wrong, sir, you're wrong!
That being said, while I do care about this -- even deeply (and probably in the "Nay" camp), I can't, for the life of me, figure out why it's on Slashdot.
The old man was just one natural attraction in a place full of them.
And I think most people would agree with that, after they made the trip. At the end of the day, the Old Man was just a lump of rock. It may have been the ostensible destination that pulled people out of their apartments to take a trip to the country, but I'll bet most of them were more impressed by the journey than by its resolution. And that journey could include all of those things you mention.
It would be a shame if people just stayed home, thinking "oh, there's nothing there to see anymore".
What's funny is that most NH mountains are more prominent than anything in Colorado. Colorado is on a massive elevated plain, and what counts for "mountains" are dinky hills, which we have plenty of here in the Granite state, as well.
Appalachian are a lot older than those spry rockies mid continent. I believe they surpassed the heights of the rockies before the glacier took them out. They were mountains while the rockies were foothills.
Being a New Hampshire hiker that hurts.
Reminds me though of my Colorado friend who was bragging to me about how he hiked two 12,000 ft mountains in one day.
Me: "Wow, what elevation did you start at?"
Colorado Friend: "10,800"
Me: Blank Stare
Give me a break, in New Hampshire we have to climb 1,200 feet to get to the foot of the mountain.
Scaling a mountain in Colorado's only impressive if you start in Nebraska.