Remembering Mt Washington Mascot “Marty The Cat”
It's sad to report that "Marty the Cat"....the furry feline fixture for the past 12 years who greeted friend and foe atop the summit of Mount Washington has died according to the Associated Press.
Summit operations manager Rebecca Scholand said:
“It is with an incredibly heavy heart that we have to share the news of Marty’s passing due to an unforeseen illness. Marty was a special companion, entertainer and so incredibly loved by observers and state park staff and will be sadly missed”
Marty was adopted from the North Conway Area Humane Society and moved to the summit of Mount Washington in January 2008. The observatory has a long history with having cats at the summit, dating back to the 1930's.
Marty was named after one of the very popular weather observers who spent 38 years on Mount Washington reporting for WMTW-TV, Marty Engstrom.
Marty the cat was set to retire in 2021. Those who knew Marty best say Marty would follow weather observers around on the summit, and loved to greet the many state park visitors.
Marty was so popular that Eastern Mountain Sports, a sponsor of the observatory, created a custom fitted "puffy coat" for Marty. No word on if Marty felt it was his style.
According to Rebecca Scholand:
"Marty made the facility feel like home for all the weather observers, keeping them company during their days-long rotations living at the summit."
There's no question Marty is going to be greatly missed. The staff at the observatory have said they plan to add another feline companion, perhaps after the beginning of the new year.
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