Our town's original Boston Post Cane is on display at the Frost Free Library, enclosed in a beautiful wood & glass case built by Bob Bennett. The case is mounted on the wall near the magazine rack with a short description above the case to explain its history in New England dating back to 1909 and its use in our town over the past 100 years.

The Boston Post Cane was referred to in a newspaper article several years ago as a "tradition that would not die". In 1909, the publisher of the Boston Post newspaper, Mr. Edwin Grozier, offered a gold-capped cane to the Selectmen in 700 towns in New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Eventually 431 of those towns accepted the gift and became the trustees of the cane which was originally presented to the oldest registered male resident as a symbol of longevity. The cane is passed along by town officials to each successive "oldest resident." In the 1930s, the Boston Post granted permission to the towns to award the cane to a woman.

Marlborough's Cane Story:
The Boston Post Cane was initially presented to Stillman Richardson. Since then, nineteen other "oldest residents" have received the cane, including eight women. Rose Trombley was the first lady to be honored when she received the cane in October of 1971.

A rather unique coincidence has occurred with the latest recipient of the cane actually being two ladies who share the distinction. Dorothy Urquhart and Julia Hendrickson were born on the same day, February 1, 1911. These ladies were honored at a ceremony at the Library in August 2006 when the Cane and a certificate were presented by the Selectmen and the Heritage Commission, with family and friends in attendance.

Our own Boston Post Cane was retired in 1995 and replaced with a replica in order to preserve the original and avoid losing track of it, a problem which has occurred in a significant number of towns. The replica has a walnut shaft made by former Selectman Robert Bennett, a pewter cap made by another resident, Harold Tonseth, and the engraving was designed to look similar to the original cane.

The Marlborough Historical Society and the town's Heritage Commission jointly researched the history of our Boston Post Cane. They created a booklet documenting the interesting story of our town's "oldest residents" who have been honored as holders of the cane over the past 100 years.

Information on the history of the Boston Post Cane and its use in New Hampshire can be found in an interesting book authored by Ms. Barbara Staples of Massachusetts. The book is titled "The Granite State's Boston Post Canes" published in 1999 by Flemming Press of Lynn, Massachusetts.

Click here to download a a DOC file of this story.

Work in the Marlborough Webb Quarry: Audio talks by Harold Larro
       Between 1891 when George D. Webb purchased the Marlborough quarry, and 1933 when the business closed operations, as many as 250 men annually cut, polished, and shipped high quality granite to cities throughout New England. Harold Larro describes the work his father performed at the quarry, and reminiscences about what this industry meant to the town of Marlborough.

The Stone Wall History & Restoration Reference Page

My Farm ... Now By Nancy Hayden
       Nancy Hayden lives and writes on her family farm in Marlborough, New Hampshire. Nancy serves as a director of the Monadnock Community Foundation, and has been active in community and regional affairs for many years. As she notes in her essay, "I could never face the task of packing it all up, so I imagine I'll just stay here, first at the farm, then at the cemetery."

Cheshire County Historical Society