DIXFIELD — Town officials are looking to award the Boston Post Cane to the oldest resident, Town Manager Carlo Puiia said Wednesday.

The deadline for nominations is March 9.

Puiia said the Boston Post Cane was last awarded to Harry L. Francis on March 26, 2012.

The Boston Post Cane dates back to August 1909, when Edwin A. Grozier, publisher of the Boston Post newspaper, sent gold-headed ebony canes to Boards of Selectmen in 431 New England towns. He requested that each cane be presented, compliments of the Boston Post, to the oldest male resident of the town. It wasn’t until 1930 that women became eligible to receive the cane.

mdaigle@sunjournal.com