A fascinating gentleman named Jim Moore has a passion for rock formations with human-like appearances (similar to the Old Man of the Mountains). He recently “stumbled upon” my blog, and sent me a scan of an old postcard showing a Ben Franklin profile that exists, or used to exist at Doublehead Mt., in Jackson, New Hampshire.
I had never heard of it, and so I sent an email with the photo to the Jackson Historical Society, asking them about it. A very nice man, Warren Schomaker, from the Historical Society, replied and sent along a couple of recent photographs of the profile. He stated that nowadays the profile is called the “Washington Boulder.”
The Washington Boulder is located on Tin Mine Road, shortly after Middle Mountain Trail, on the left. It is located close to the road, and is easily seen when driving by, as the boulder is on ground level (not on a ledge like the Old Man profile was).
I was still not convinced that the first profile (in the postcard) is the same as the Washington Boulder. The noses and chins look very different, and would still look different if taken from a different angle.
Then Jim send me the following excerpt from the book, “Images of America, Around Jackson, NH,” by Richard
S. Johnson: “Many natural rock formations resemble famous people, as in this
photograph of Jackson's own Washington Boulder, or Profile. The boulder resides
in Thorn Mountain park on the road to the old Tyrol Ski Area. The park and rock
were popular tourists attractions in the early 1900s. It is rumored local
photographer A.E. Phinney discovered a Ben Franklin Profile rock, but no
additional information on the location on this “find” is
available.”
Is it possible that Ben Franklin is missing in New Hampshire? If any reader has information about, or has seen, the “Franklin” rock, please contact me either by email or by leaving a comment.
As for this second profile, aka the “Washington Boulder”…. Do you think it looks like George Washington? Or perhaps it looks more like Governor John Lynch?
Janice
*Additional Reading*
-Jim Moore's Page (of fascinating Rock Formations)-
-Minnesota Museum of the Mississippi-Stone Faces Gazetteer-
Addendum: Jim thinks that the “Washington” rock looks like Alfred Hitchcock. You be the judge.
