[MassHistPres] Boston Post

Thu May 27 09:47:29 EDT 2010

Thanks for all who replied to my query about the Boston Post.  I did see 
that it is on microfilm at the BPL- and it might be worth a trip to the 
library sometime to check that out  - fortunately, I do know the date which 
my cartoon appeared in the paper, so it shouldn't be too difficult to find. 
But I'm thinking that still might not answer my question re: how reliable 
the cartoon is as a source of factual information, how it was researched, 
etc.  Someone mentioned that maybe a general book about Boston newspapers 
might be helpful.  I'd like to look into that sometime.  It is interesting 
that no one is aware of a book specifically about the Boston Post.  I would 
have thought there would be an interesting history behind it.

Of course I am aware of the Boston Post Cane!  Someone did a little research 
into that around here a few years back.  As best I remember (off the top of 
my head) we can trace our cane (Wilmington) to the 1940's to a Civil War 
veteran named John Simpson.  I don't think we know what happened to it when 
he died.  But, again, I'm just talking off the top of my head.  I'm not the 
one who did the research.

Thanks again for all the good info!

Terry McD
Curator
Wilmington Town Museum at the
Col. Joshua Harnden Tavern, c.1770
430 Salem Street
Wilmington, MA  01887
978.658.5475
htavern at town.wilmington.ma.us
http://www.town.wilmington.ma.us/old/hist.htm

The Wilmington Historical Commission can also be reached at the above 
addresses and phone number.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Worden" <jworden at swwalaw.com>
To: <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 4:23 PM
Subject: [MassHistPres] Boston Post

The Post went out of business I think in the late 50s.  The last publisher
was a man named John or James Fox, who died perhaps 15 years later, if I
recall correctly.

As to the Post canes, the Wellesley cane is held by the historical society,
but the oldest resident is given a lapel pin and a miniature version of the
cane, about the length of a toothpick.  A client of mine was the recipient a
few years ago.  She has since died, but I still have the little cane.

John Worden
Arlington HDC

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----- Original Message -----
From: <masshistpres-request at cs.umb.edu>
To: <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 4:05 PM
Subject: MassHistPres Digest, Vol 51, Issue 34

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>
>   1. June 1 deadline for input-->Need Local Commission insight on
>      the Secretary's Standards!! (Lee Wright)
>   2. Re: query (Harnden Tavern)
>   3. Re: query (Dennis De Witt)
>   4. Re: query (melanie deware)
>   5. Re: query (Barbara)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 26 May 2010 12:19:10 -0400
> From: "Lee Wright" <lee at leewright.net>
> Subject: [MassHistPres] June 1 deadline for input-->Need Local
> Commission insight on the Secretary's Standards!!
> To: <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
> Message-ID: <43196937700F43788AB2124C97378FE9 at LeeTecraA9>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Have you seen this?
>
> I just received it, and for some reason the deadline for input is June 1.
>
> Best--
>
> Lee Wright | Marlborough
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAPC Member Listserv [mailto:NAPC-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of
> Megan_Brown at NPS.GOV
> Sent: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 10:32 AM
> To: NAPC-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Need Local Commission insight on the Secretary's Standards!!
>
> Greetings Commissions!
>
> We have an opportunity to have input into the revisiting of the Guidelines
> for the Rehabilitation Standards!  However the deadline is tight.  Will
> you
> PLEASE take a few moments to complete the survey below - not nearly as
> long
> as the last one we sent out!    Note the deadline of JUNE 1!!!   This will
> NOT be extended.
>
>
> As the custodian of the Secretary's Standards and of the Guidelines for
> interpreting them, the National Park Service is beginning the process of
> expanding the Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings in order to
> address questions raised by the current emphasis on sustainability.
> Before
> we begin to draft any expanded Guidelines, it is critically important that
> we hear from those who rely on the Standards and Guidelines to preserve
> their local communities.  We need to know what general concerns you have,
> and we need to know of specific issues you have encountered where historic
> preservation values and sustainability were or appeared to be at odds with
> each other.
>
> In all of the current discussions concerning historic buildings and
> sustainability, an important component is the relationship between the
> Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and the various
> recommended building treatments designed to attain more sustainable
> communities and energy efficient buildings.  While there is a growing body
> of information on how to undertake these alterations, there is not yet a
> set
> of official guidelines on how to make such changes in ways that
> appropriately maintain the character of historic properties.
>
> Please take a few minutes to complete this online survey before June 1.
> The
> survey will no longer be available after that time:
>
> http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/P5N3Y6L
>
> We value the input of you, our local partners in the Federal Preservation
> Program!
>
> Megan J. Brown
> Certified Local Government Program Coordinator Historic Preservation
> Grants
> Division National Park Service NPS, 1201 Eye St NW (2256), Washington DC
> 20005
>
> http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/hpg/
> 202-354-2062 phone  202-371-1794 fax
> megan_brown at nps.gov
> (if email bounces back please re-send to elskybar at yahoo.com)
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Wed, 26 May 2010 15:12:35 -0400
> From: "Harnden Tavern" <htavern at townofwilmingtonma.com>
> Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] query
> To: <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
> Message-ID: <905B24CCD01C4DBB8CF3C2D1DD29BA4E at htavernPC>
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
> reply-type=original
>
> Here's an interesting question -
>
> Does anyone know anything about the history of the old Boston Post
> newspaper?  In particular, I am interested in a feature they ran in the
> 1940's titled "The Old Home Town."  As best as I can tell, every week it
> was
> a sort of cartoon compendium of history and trivia about a selected town.
> I
> am asking because I have a photocopy of one of these pages - I'm not sure
> where it came from, I found it in an old file - and I am wondering if
> anyone
> knows how reliable the "facts" cited in these cartoons are, who
> "researched"
> them.  I am talking about something printed over 60 years ago, so I know
> this information might be a bit obscure.  But I know the Boston Post was,
> at
> one time, a very popular newspaper, it seems someone might have written a
> book (or at least an article) about it.  I've had less luck than I would
> have expected getting information about the newspaper online.  (There is a
> wikipedia article about it, but it is brief and doesn't cite much in the
> way
> of sources)
>
> Terry McDermott
> Curator
> Wilmington Town Museum at the
> Col. Joshua Harnden Tavern, c.1770
> 430 Salem Street
> Wilmington, MA  01887
> 978.658.5475
> htavern at town.wilmington.ma.us
> http://www.town.wilmington.ma.us/old/hist.htm
>
> The Wilmington Historical Commission can also be reached at the above
> addresses and phone number.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Wed, 26 May 2010 15:27:13 -0400
> From: Dennis De Witt <djd184 at verizon.net>
> Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] query
> To: MHC MHC listserve <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
> Message-ID: <B82C4F86-B679-49C4-9416-150EDFFE6BB9 at verizon.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
> I imagine you know that a one point the Boston Post gave a "Boston Post
> Cane" to be held by the oldest inhabitant of each town and then passed on
> to his/her successor in turn.  I believe in some places that tradition is
> maintained, at least nominally.
>
> Dennis De Witt
>
>
> On May 26, 2010, at 3:12 PM, Harnden Tavern wrote:
>
>> Here's an interesting question -
>>
>> Does anyone know anything about the history of the old Boston Post
>> newspaper?  In particular, I am interested in a feature they ran in the
>> 1940's titled "The Old Home Town."  As best as I can tell, every week it
>> was a sort of cartoon compendium of history and trivia about a selected
>> town.  I am asking because I have a photocopy of one of these pages - I'm
>> not sure where it came from, I found it in an old file - and I am
>> wondering if anyone knows how reliable the "facts" cited in these
>> cartoons are, who "researched" them.  I am talking about something
>> printed over 60 years ago, so I know this information might be a bit
>> obscure.  But I know the Boston Post was, at one time, a very popular
>> newspaper, it seems someone might have written a book (or at least an
>> article) about it.  I've had less luck than I would have expected getting
>> information about the newspaper online.  (There is a wikipedia article
>> about it, but it is brief and doesn't cite much in the way of sources)
>>
>> Terry McDermott
>> Curator
>> Wilmington Town Museum at the
>> Col. Joshua Harnden Tavern, c.1770
>> 430 Salem Street
>> Wilmington, MA  01887
>> 978.658.5475
>> htavern at town.wilmington.ma.us
>> http://www.town.wilmington.ma.us/old/hist.htm
>>
>> The Wilmington Historical Commission can also be reached at the above
>> addresses and phone number.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ******************************
>> For administrative questions regarding this list, please contact
>> Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us directly.  PLEASE DO NOT "REPLY" TO THE
>> WHOLE LIST.
>> MassHistPres mailing list
>> MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu
>> http://mailman.cs.umb.edu/mailman/listinfo/masshistpres
>> ********************************
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Wed, 26 May 2010 15:44:40 -0400
> From: melanie deware <smdeware at hotmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] query
> To: <djd184 at verizon.net>, <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
> Message-ID: <COL121-W5191BC1C3E7312E16725D2D1E90 at phx.gbl>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
>
> The Cane is near and dear to our hearts here in Easton.  We were lucky
> enough to have a very ambitious resident do some research and then
> convince a local bank to buy us new canes as the original went missing
> (now we have a few spares just in case).  We have been presenting it each
> year for the past 7 or 8 years.  Everyone gets a real kick out of hearing
> its history and being able to see it.
>
>
>
> Melanie Deware
>
> Chairman, Easton Historical Commission
>
>
>
>> From: djd184 at verizon.net
>> Date: Wed, 26 May 2010 15:27:13 -0400
>> To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
>> Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] query
>>
>> I imagine you know that a one point the Boston Post gave a "Boston Post
>> Cane" to be held by the oldest inhabitant of each town and then passed on
>> to his/her successor in turn. I believe in some places that tradition is
>> maintained, at least nominally.
>>
>> Dennis De Witt
>>
>>
>> On May 26, 2010, at 3:12 PM, Harnden Tavern wrote:
>>
>> > Here's an interesting question -
>> >
>> > Does anyone know anything about the history of the old Boston Post
>> > newspaper? In particular, I am interested in a feature they ran in the
>> > 1940's titled "The Old Home Town." As best as I can tell, every week it
>> > was a sort of cartoon compendium of history and trivia about a selected
>> > town. I am asking because I have a photocopy of one of these pages -
>> > I'm not sure where it came from, I found it in an old file - and I am
>> > wondering if anyone knows how reliable the "facts" cited in these
>> > cartoons are, who "researched" them. I am talking about something
>> > printed over 60 years ago, so I know this information might be a bit
>> > obscure. But I know the Boston Post was, at one time, a very popular
>> > newspaper, it seems someone might have written a book (or at least an
>> > article) about it. I've had less luck than I would have expected
>> > getting information about the newspaper online. (There is a wikipedia
>> > article about it, but it is brief and doesn't cite much in the way of
>> > sources)
>> >
>> > Terry McDermott
>> > Curator
>> > Wilmington Town Museum at the
>> > Col. Joshua Harnden Tavern, c.1770
>> > 430 Salem Street
>> > Wilmington, MA 01887
>> > 978.658.5475
>> > htavern at town.wilmington.ma.us
>> > http://www.town.wilmington.ma.us/old/hist.htm
>> >
>> > The Wilmington Historical Commission can also be reached at the above
>> > addresses and phone number.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > ******************************
>> > For administrative questions regarding this list, please contact
>> > Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us directly. PLEASE DO NOT "REPLY" TO THE
>> > WHOLE LIST.
>> > MassHistPres mailing list
>> > MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu
>> > http://mailman.cs.umb.edu/mailman/listinfo/masshistpres
>> > ********************************
>>
>> ******************************
>> For administrative questions regarding this list, please contact
>> Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us directly. PLEASE DO NOT "REPLY" TO THE
>> WHOLE LIST.
>> MassHistPres mailing list
>> MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu
>> http://mailman.cs.umb.edu/mailman/listinfo/masshistpres
>> ********************************
>
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Wed, 26 May 2010 20:05:28 +0000 (UTC)
> From: Barbara <beb100acrewood at comcast.net>
> Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] query
> To: Dennis De Witt <djd184 at verizon.net>
> Cc: MHC MHC listserve <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
> Message-ID:
> <990017045.26814611274904328029.JavaMail.root at sz0042a.westchester.pa.mail.comcast.net>
>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
>
>
> Wareham's original Post Cane is held at the Town Hall so that it does not
> get misplaced by a recipient or their heirs as it has in the past.? A
> ceremony is held for the new holder who receives a proclamation from the
> town.? I do not know the wording.? This is a great press opportunity to
> explain the history of the Boston Post Cane and?honors the recipient.
>
>
>
> Barbara Bailey
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dennis De Witt" <djd184 at verizon.net>
> To: "MHC MHC listserve" <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
> Sent: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 3:27:13 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
> Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] query
>
> I imagine you know that a one point the Boston Post gave a "Boston Post
> Cane" to be held by the oldest inhabitant of each town and then passed on
> to his/her successor in turn. ?I believe in some places that tradition is
> maintained, at least nominally.
>
> Dennis De Witt
>
>
> On May 26, 2010, at 3:12 PM, Harnden Tavern wrote:
>
>> Here's an interesting question -
>>
>> Does anyone know anything about the history of the old Boston Post
>> newspaper? ?In particular, I am interested in a feature they ran in the
>> 1940's titled "The Old Home Town." ?As best as I can tell, every week it
>> was a sort of cartoon compendium of history and trivia about a selected
>> town. ?I am asking because I have a photocopy of one of these pages - I'm
>> not sure where it came from, I found it in an old file - and I am
>> wondering if anyone knows how reliable the "facts" cited in these
>> cartoons are, who "researched" them. ?I am talking about something
>> printed over 60 years ago, so I know this information might be a bit
>> obscure. ?But I know the Boston Post was, at one time, a very popular
>> newspaper, it seems someone might have written a book (or at least an
>> article) about it. ?I've had less luck than I would have expected getting
>> information about the newspaper online. ?(There is a wikipedia article
>> about it, but it is brief and doesn't cite much in the way of sources)
>>
>> Terry McDermott
>> Curator
>> Wilmington Town Museum at the
>> Col. Joshua Harnden Tavern, c.1770
>> 430 Salem Street
>> Wilmington, MA ?01887
>> 978.658.5475
>> htavern at town.wilmington.ma.us
>> http://www.town.wilmington.ma.us/old/hist.htm
>>
>> The Wilmington Historical Commission can also be reached at the above
>> addresses and phone number.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ******************************
>> For administrative questions regarding this list, please contact
>> Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us directly. ?PLEASE DO NOT "REPLY" TO THE
>> WHOLE LIST.
>> MassHistPres mailing list
>> MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu
>> http://mailman.cs.umb.edu/mailman/listinfo/masshistpres
>> ********************************
>
> ******************************
> For administrative questions regarding this list, please contact
> Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us directly. ?PLEASE DO NOT "REPLY" TO THE
> WHOLE LIST.
> MassHistPres mailing list
> MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu
> http://mailman.cs.umb.edu/mailman/listinfo/masshistpres
> ********************************
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For administrative questions regarding this list, please contact 
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