
# 725 - 1932 3c Daniel Webster
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1932 3¢ Webster Sesquicentennial
Issue Date: October 24, 1932
First City: Franklin, Exeter, and Hanover, NH
Quantity Issued:Â 49,538,500
The Old Man Of The Mountain
The 40-foot-tall âfaceâ in New Hampshireâs White Mountains was composed of Conway red granite. Five ledges formed its appearance. When lined up, these ledges gave the appearance of an old man looking to the east. According to geologists, a combination of the glacial movement and the forces of seasonal freezing sculpted the face. It is believed the âold manâ had existed for as long as 10,000 years.

Francis Whitcomb and Luke Brooks of the Franconia surveying team reportedly first discovered the formation in 1805. It quickly became a major tourist attraction, in part due to Nathaniel Hawthorneâs short story, âThe Great Stone Face,â which called it âa work of Nature in her mood of majestic playfulness.â
Statesman Daniel Webster also contributed to itâs notoriety, saying of the formation,  âMen hang out their signs indicative of their respective trades; shoe makers hang out a gigantic shoe; jewelers a monster watch, and the dentist hangs out a gold tooth; but up in the Mountains of New Hampshire, God Almighty has hung out a sign to show that there He makes men.â Over the years it was known by many names, including The Great Stone Face, the Profile, and The Old Man.

In 1906, Reverend Guy Roberts of Massachusetts was among the first people to publicize the formationâs deterioration. Over the years, the freezing and thawing of ice in the granite ridges combined with vibration from nearby traffic to open gaps in the figureâs forehead.Â

During the 1920s, the crack was contained by chains to prevent it from widening. The state legislature later provided $25,000 to keep the formation intact. Upkeep was performed every summer. In 1945, the Stone Face was made the official state emblem of New Hampshire and would eventually be featured on the stateâs license plate, state route signs, and quarter.
In spite of all the preservation efforts, the formation collapsed on May 3, 2003. The people of New Hampshire were saddened by the loss of the Great Stone Face, leaving flowers at its base in memoriam. Some people suggested adding the profile to the state flag. Others proposed building a plastic replica, but this idea was rejected. One year after the collapse, coin-operated viewfinders were installed, allowing visitors to see the cliff as it once was. A state-sponsored memorial was begun in 2010.

 Click here for a photo of the formation after its collapse.
Â
1932 3¢ Webster Sesquicentennial
Issue Date: October 24, 1932
First City: Franklin, Exeter, and Hanover, NH
Quantity Issued:Â 49,538,500
The Old Man Of The Mountain
The 40-foot-tall âfaceâ in New Hampshireâs White Mountains was composed of Conway red granite. Five ledges formed its appearance. When lined up, these ledges gave the appearance of an old man looking to the east. According to geologists, a combination of the glacial movement and the forces of seasonal freezing sculpted the face. It is believed the âold manâ had existed for as long as 10,000 years.

Francis Whitcomb and Luke Brooks of the Franconia surveying team reportedly first discovered the formation in 1805. It quickly became a major tourist attraction, in part due to Nathaniel Hawthorneâs short story, âThe Great Stone Face,â which called it âa work of Nature in her mood of majestic playfulness.â
Statesman Daniel Webster also contributed to itâs notoriety, saying of the formation,  âMen hang out their signs indicative of their respective trades; shoe makers hang out a gigantic shoe; jewelers a monster watch, and the dentist hangs out a gold tooth; but up in the Mountains of New Hampshire, God Almighty has hung out a sign to show that there He makes men.â Over the years it was known by many names, including The Great Stone Face, the Profile, and The Old Man.

In 1906, Reverend Guy Roberts of Massachusetts was among the first people to publicize the formationâs deterioration. Over the years, the freezing and thawing of ice in the granite ridges combined with vibration from nearby traffic to open gaps in the figureâs forehead.Â

During the 1920s, the crack was contained by chains to prevent it from widening. The state legislature later provided $25,000 to keep the formation intact. Upkeep was performed every summer. In 1945, the Stone Face was made the official state emblem of New Hampshire and would eventually be featured on the stateâs license plate, state route signs, and quarter.
In spite of all the preservation efforts, the formation collapsed on May 3, 2003. The people of New Hampshire were saddened by the loss of the Great Stone Face, leaving flowers at its base in memoriam. Some people suggested adding the profile to the state flag. Others proposed building a plastic replica, but this idea was rejected. One year after the collapse, coin-operated viewfinders were installed, allowing visitors to see the cliff as it once was. A state-sponsored memorial was begun in 2010.

 Click here for a photo of the formation after its collapse.