Grafton’s Boston Post Cane, meant for the oldest resident, disappeared. Now the town hopes to revive the tradition

For decades, Grafton’s Boston Post Cane was presented to the oldest resident in town and passed on to the next oldest resident upon death.

But at some point in the town’s history — no one really knows when — the Boston Post Cane lost, possibly because the recipient’s family did not understand the significance of the gold-headed ebony cane.

Town Clerk Kandy Lavallee is proposing to the Select Board Tuesday night that the Boston Post Cane tradition be revived — with a pin, while the replica cane stays safe inside the Municipal Center.

The Boston Post Cane was established in 1909 as a publicity stunt by the Boston Post newspaper, according to the Boston Post Cane Information Center maintained by the Maynard Historical Society. The Board of Selectmen in about 700 New England towns were presented with the canes with the request that it be presented to the oldest male citizen of the town, to be used by him until his death or until he moved from the town. The cane would then be passed on to the next oldest man — or woman, due to a controversial 1930 change.

The head was engraved with the inscription “Presented by the Boston Post to the oldest citizen of (name of town)  — To Be Transmitted.”

Grafton isn’t the only town to lose track of its cane. They have turned up in attics and antique stores, just waiting for the day when someone recognized them for what they were.

In a letter to the Select Board, Lavallee proposed a lapel pin for the recipient

“The cane would belong to the Town and not the resident who is named in order to provide for the reservation and public awareness of the tradition and protection of the cane from loss or damage,” she wrote. “The Select Board or his or her designee shall present the eldest resident with a proclamation, lapel pin and have their picture taken to be shared with the local media and on the town’s website. The name of the honoree to be inscribed on a plaque to eventually be displayed along with the Boston Post Cane at the Town Offices.”

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