Since 1909, the custom of the Boston Post Cane took hold in towns throughout New England, bestowing the honor of receiving a cane on the oldest living citizen of each of 700 towns, including the Town of Gorham. Over the years, some of the canes given to the Boards of Selectmen of 700 towns around New England, were taken out of the town and not returned to the Selectmen or destroyed by accident. Fortunately, the Town of Gorham has retained its cane, which has been on display at the Gorham Municipal Center for many years In 1930, after considerable controversy, eligibility for the cane was opened to women as well as men.
On Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, Mary Golden, 101, was awarded the Boston Post Cane for the honor of being the oldest citizen of the Town of Gorham in an offsite ceremony.
Mary Bothfeld Golden was born on June 7, 1924, in Massachusetts. She had six brothers and no sisters. She is the only surviving member of the seven siblings. Her daughter, Sharon, resides in Kentucky and raises cattle with her husband, Ben. The family moved to Vermont, where they had a farm overlooking the Cabot Creamery. Mary went to Green Mountain Junior College and then to UNH in New Hampshire, where she obtained her degree to become an occupational therapist.
In 1947, Mary moved to Maine to work as an occupational therapist at Maine General Hospital, where she met her husband, Jim Golden. This is when the Children’s Hospital on High Street merged with Maine General to become what is now known as Maine Medical Center. Jim worked with the 4-H organization as a leader and was there to work with the children. Mary and Jim were married in 1949 and found land to purchase from the Files family with a barn structure on it in Gorham and built their home. There they raised registered Ayrshire cows for milking, and sold milk to the HP Hood dairy in Portland.
Mary continued working in occupational therapy and was working at Pineland in Pownal until she became pregnant in 1956 with their daughter, Sharon. In 1964, the Golden’s farm caught fire from a lightning strike while they were out of town. Thankfully, all of the cows were out in the pasture and the family was not harmed. After the family sold all of the cows, they raised Morgans and Saddlebred horses while Sharon was in school. Later, they raised hogs for meat and then acquired chickens to raise for eggs.
They attended the West Gorham Union Church for many years, which was right around the corner from the farm. Mary and Jim are well known to many Gorham townsfolk and were active in many ways around town.
Jim passed away in 2003 and Mary continued to live and work on the farm, raising chickens and tending a garden with fresh vegetables and flowers, right up until about a year ago, when she moved into Gorham House in the village. She still owns the house in West Gorham.
Congratulations, Mary. You are an inspiration to many.
