Mount Monadnock rises prominently above southern New Hampshire as the highest point in Cheshire County, its isolated, rocky summit giving American geology the term for a lone mountain left after surrounding rock erodes away. Formed of ancient schist and quartzite, it also bears the marks of human change: fires set by settlers in the early nineteenth century stripped the upper slopes and created the barren tree line that still defines its appearance. First recorded as climbed in 1725, it became a popular nineteenth-century resort and later a celebrated destination tied to Emerson, Thoreau, and Fuller. Today it remains heavily visited for hiking, scenery, and literary associations.

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain