UPDATE: Woodmont Apple Farm Icehouse: GONE!

Yes, it is true. The Woodmont Apple Farm Icehouse, a true landmark, is gone.

After publishing this post on August 8, I got the following emails from Selectmen of Hollis:

Dear Tracy Lee:

Thank you for sharing this information with me. I am one of the five selectmen who will be discussing this tonight. I am also the person who encouraged my late mother's private foundation to provide the necessary funds to repair and restore the ice house for the benefit of our current residents as well as future generations.

I can not speak for all of the board, but my sense is that there is not a considerable appetite to demolish this historic building - but rather one to repair and restore.

Kind regards,

Mark A. LeDoux

and

Tracy,

Thanks very much for letting me know about this discussion of the Woodmont Orchards Ice House. Many of the comments reflect my own sentiments. I can assure you that the Woodmont Orchard Ice House is not going to be demolished on my watch.

Regards,

Mark Johnson
Selectman, Town of Hollis

and

Hi Tracy,

Thank you for your email. I believe there has been some miscommunication in the newspapers. The intent was never to demolish the Ice House. The intent was to restore or reconstruct an exact replica. Either way it is the intent of the Board of Selectmen to ensure that the Woodmont Orchard Ice house will remain a Hollis Landmark in perpetuity.

David Petry
Vice Chairman, Board of Selectmen
Town of Hollis

I think it is interesting that David Petry said, "The intent was never to demolish the Ice House."

Today I was saddened to receive the following email:

Tracy,

As you may know (and I am sorry to tell you if you don't know), the ice house has been demolished. I resigned from office in late August because I will be relocating out of state. Before I resigned, I made sure that there was a contractor to repair the ice house and money to pay for it. I also lined up selectmen support for this plan. Immediately after I resigned the town reversed course. A "replica" is being built at a cost of five times the bid for the repairs.

Mark Everett Johnson

What???

The repairs are going to cost FIVE TIMES the bid for repairs? Huh? WHY was this landmark demolished? I find this totally irresponsible, especially in a state where fiscal responsibility has always been a time honoured tradition. Forget for a moment that the building had become a historic landmark in the eyes of the people in the area and that many have chosen to honour this building in paintings and photographs, but what about Yankee Frugality? FIVE TIMES the bid for repairs, money that was already set aside for these repairs. FIVE TIMES as much. If I were a resident of Hollis I would be asking the selectmen WHY?

Old Man of the Mountain

140-4094_IMG, originally uploaded by JeffS_NH.

Old Man of the Mountains

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NH's icon.

The Old Man of the Mountain

May he rest in peace. I don't think NHites will ever forget him. Truly the stuff legends are born from.

More links to good information on this natural rock formation.

The Old Man of the Mountain is No More

c. 30,000 b.c. - May 2, 2003

The Old Man of the Mountains: c. 30,000 b.c. - May 2, 2003 It was uncertain when the outcropping actually fell because clouds had obscured the area Thursday and Friday. A state park trails crew reported Saturday morning that the Old Man of the Mountain was gone.

On Saturday, May 3, the staff of goLittleton.com scaled the Old Man's former cranium to obtain visual documentation of the geologic mishap.
Three large turnbuckles, which had spanned an (ultimately fatal) fiberglass-epoxy covered crack, now grasp at thin air....

From Wikipedia

The profile has been New Hampshire's state emblem since 1945. It was put on the state's license plate, state highway-route signs, and the back of New Hampshire's Statehood Quarter, which is popularly promoted as the only US coin with a profile on both sides. Before the collapse, it could be seen from special viewing areas along Interstate 93 in Franconia Notch State Park, approximately 80 miles north of Concord, New Hampshire.

From About.com

In November of 2003, a plan to honor the legacy of New Hampshire's icon was finalized by the Task Force. The first phase of the plan was completed in May 2004 with the installation at Franconia Notch Parkway viewing areas of high-tech viewers that show what the Old Man of the Mountain looked like before it fell. An award to honor individuals and organizations for their work in preserving the Old Man's legacy was also established in 2004.

Phase 2 involves the creation of a sculpture-lined walking path around Profile Lake. The Old Man of the Mountain Legacy Fund, in cooperation with the State of New Hampshire, is currently reviewing proposals from artists.

The Old Man of the Mountain Revitalization Task Force also recommended construction of an expanded museum at the base of Cannon Mountain and possibly a large-scale replica of the natural wonder. Fundraising for this third phase of the project is still underway. You can contribute to The Old Man of the Mountain Revitalization Fund by sending a donation to: Old Man of the Mountain Revitalization Fund, c/o Governor's Office, State House, Concord, NH 03301.