On June 24, 1955, President Dwight D. Eisenhower stood in Franconia Notch to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the discovery of the Old Man of the Mountain. Seeing the famous profile for the first time, Eisenhower was asked what he thought of it. His polite answer was “Remarkable. Wonderful. Interesting.” But what he was really wondering was: What does the Old Man of the Mountain think of us? In the remarks that followed, Eisenhower reflected on the sweeping changes the Old Man had witnessed—and on humanity’s enduring pursuit of peace, liberty, and happiness.

In October 1981, The Christian Science Monitor explored a heated controversy brewing over the skies above the White Mountains, where two Air National Guard units proposed a Military Operating Area (MOA) for high-speed, low-altitude training flights—a plan that struck deep into the region’s identity as a place of quiet recreation and scenic beauty. What thrilled pilots as valuable preparation for possible combat scenarios alarmed hikers, campers, and local residents, who argued that sudden, engine-throbbing fighter sorties—sometimes as low as 100 feet above ground—could disrupt the natural experience and even threaten wildlife habitats. With voices from community advocates and public officials opposing the proposal and urging the Air Force to consider alternatives, the story captures a moment when local quality of life, tourism, and environmental stewardship clashed with military training needs over one of New Hampshire’s most cherished landscapes.