Who will be the next recipient of the Boston Post Cane?

What is the Boston Post Cane? In 1909 the now defunct Boston Post newspaper designed and distributed walking canes to 700 New England towns. The canes, made of ebony—imported from Africa and crowned with 14-karat gold—were then presented in varying measures of ceremonial pomp, to the oldest living male of those municipalities. Since then, for over a century, the canes have been handed down to the next oldest survivor in those towns, in what has become a venerable Yankee tradition. Women were added to the list of cane recipients starting in 1930. “The idea was to be given by the city to its oldest

resident, as a sign of respect. While newspaper circulations across the country are on the decline, many New England cities and towns still maintain one of Boston’s oldest newspaper traditions.