The Old Man of the Mountain in 1947. (Photo | Scott d' Arazien, via New Hampshire - Then and Now.)
17 years ago today, the state of New Hampshire lost one of its most iconic symbols - a stone formation known as the Old Man of the Mountain. The sheer wonder and natural beauty the “Old Man” overlooked includes the majestic peaks and coniferous hedges of the White Mountain National forest.
Born and raised just over an hour from this amazing terrain, I make it a point each year to visit the area as much as possible. Meandering through the notches and scenic byways in the shadow of the White Mountains gives one time to reflect, ponder, and envision what life would be like in such a remote area - terrain that is in high value as housing and infrastructure threatens the natural landscapes of New England. Its hard to imagine that the once pristine and vast wilderness of the Whites (now heavily laden with tourists and recreationalists of all stripes) was once home to many a die-hard yankee - living off the land and its self-reliant spoils. Like much of North America, hunting, fishing, logging, agriculture and of course - fur trapping, all played an equally integral part in shaping the region as it stands today.
New Hampshire is home to quite a collection of well-known (dare I say mildly “famous”) trappers - John Kulish, Alex Troy, and even the “record-setting” Malcolm Locke, all called the Granite State home, and all three even went on to enshrine their teachings and learning of the wild forests in their own authored books. Given the fruitful terrain with which New Hampshire has gifted to its citizens (and tourists) for millennia, its no surprise that the state has a rich hunting and trapping history - especially in the expansive White Mountains. Although perhaps not of “published author” status, few “Yanks” from the early 20th century have been documented in local history quite like the Evans family, including well known hunter and trapper Raymond W. Evans.
The Heart of the Notch
Roughly twenty miles west from where the Old Man once resided, you’ll find Crawford Notch - a major pass through the White Mountains located almost entirely within the town of Hart's Location. The area stands as a vital part of New England history; with natural beauty and mountainous views that are second to none.
Maine Central Mt. Willard Section House beside the Willey Brook bridge in Crawford Notch. Gordon Evans’ wife Helen, is pictured on the Willey Brook bridge. Gordon was brought up with his other brother Raymond and his two sisters Mildred and Enola in this section house. Their mother Hattie Evans took care of the home and the section men for the Maine Central Railroad. Photo dated approx. 1936. (Photo | the Raymond W. Evans collection c/o Robert J. Girouard.)
Within Crawford Notch once stood the Mt Willard Section House - a home for the section foreman and family to reside in along the Willey Brook Bridge and the Maine Central Railroad. Built into the mountainside in 1887 by section foreman James E. Mitchell, the rural outpost later became the residence of the Evans family when, in 1903, Loring Evans took over as foreman of Section 139 of the railway. Loring was killed some ten years later in a railroading accident at Crawford's yard, leaving wife Hattie to raise their four children in the Section House; where she would remain until 1942. Its no surprise that given such a rural upbringing, Hattie’s son Raymond would go on to a career as a Fish and Game officer with the Twin Mountain Fish Hatchery. Long after the Evans’ departure, the Section home was burned down in the 1970’s due to ongoing vandalism and squatting.
In the early days of the Furbearer Conservation project’s online presence, I was contacted via social media by Robert Girouard, who furnished an expansive catalog of historic photographs showcasing early 20th century life in the White Mountains. Included therein - photos belonging to Hattie’s son, Raymond.
The photos I came across mostly documented the hunting and trapping of Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis), a northern cousin of the bobcat. According to NH Fish & Game, Hattie Evans herself was the first woman documented in the State of New Hampshire to have killed a Lynx, which was taken and photographed after the animal (according to Hattie) was threatening the family homestead in Crawford Notch in July of 1929.
The photo collection is showcased below.
shadow of the forest
The Lynx was abundant, especially in the White Mountains, during the early 1900’s. Ethan Allen Crawford, for whose family in which Crawford Notch is named, noted to be “considerably troubled by Great Gray cats” - trapping a total of six and shooting two more according to accounts from Crawford’s journal (Willey 1855).
Accounts from local biologists during the time suggested wildcat populations were heavily impacted by food abundance (such as hare) and snow pack. In the case of Lynx specifically, it is believed hunting (and trapping) preassure was limited throughout the 1930’s and 40’s due to the high, mountainous, snowy terrain with which the Canada Lynx is synonymous. Nonetheless, bounties remained for both Canada Lynx and Bobcats throughout this time. At least one of the Lynx in Raymond’s photos fetched a $20 bounty in 1946. Throughout the period, the most notable habitat range for Canada Lynx in New Hampshire revolved around the White Mountains area (Silver 1957).
In the year 2000, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) designated the Canada lynx a Threatened Species in 14 contiguous United States. In 2005, the USFWS demarcated six major areas for revival where lynx reproduction had been reported in the past two decades - including northern Maine and New Hampshire. Studies in the mid-2000’s suggest that numbers have improved in the northeastern United States, with increasing numbers in many areas throughout the United States. In January 2018, the USFWS declared that the Canada lynx no longer needed special protections in the United States following measures to preserve their populations.
Click on each image to review a larger print and details about each photo, including year and backstory.
I am eternally grateful for Raymond W. Evans for documenting such amazing cornerstones of local history, and to Robert J. Girouard for sharing such photos in his care. Interested in seeing more amazing photography from the White Mountain area throughout the 20th century? Check out Robert’s Facebook pages, New Hampshire - Then and Now and White Mountains Remembered.
For more information on the Evans Family and the Section house at Mt. Willard, check out "Life by the tracks," by Virginia Downs.
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Meandering through the notches and scenic byways in the shadow of the White Mountains gives one time to reflect, ponder, and envision what life would be like in such a remote area. Its hard to imagine that the once pristine and vast wilderness of the Whites (now heavily laden with tourists and recreationalists of all stripes) was once home to many a die-hard yankee - living off the land and its self-reliant spoils.