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Boston Cane goes to soon-to-be centenarian
LaVerne Redlon poses with her Boston Cane presented to her on Dec. 22.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SWH HISTORICAL SOCIETY
SOUTHWEST HARBOR LaVerne Redlon is set to turn 100 this month and the town has presented her with the Boston Post Cane as an early present.
Board of Selectmen Chairman Kristin Hutchins presented Redlon with the cane on Dec. 22 at her home just off Main Street where she lives with her daughter, Jeanne Boyd.
In 1909, over 700 Boston Post Canes were given to New England towns as a publicity stunt by the Boston Post Newspaper. At that time, only men were presented with the canes because they were the only ones considered citizens. Even though women were given the right to vote in 1920, Southwest Harbor did not present the cane to a woman until 1958. Redlon joins at least 10 other centenarians on the list of recipients for the town, the most recent of whom was Mary Orcutt Harkins.