Stratford unveiled its Diversity Fountain in the town's waterfront park Saturday.
The fountain surrounds a bronze statue of Mi'Kmaq runner Michael Thomas, who was a athlete in the early years of the last century and was later compared to legendary First Nations runner Tom Longboat of Ontario.
Thomas was born on Lennox Island in 1885 and was in his mid-20s' when Father John A. MacDonald encouraged him to take up running competitively.
Thomas won the Charlotetown Patriot 10 mile race in 1909, 1910 and 1911 and other races around the Maritimes.
He was the first Islander to ever run in the Boston Marathon in 1911. He would finished 26th with a time better than that of the winner from two years previous. His feat was doubly amazing because he ran the 26 mile course without water because the cyclist carrying his refreshment was involved in an accident.
He was forced to quite running due to arthritis and he died in 1954.
The statue was sculpted by Thomas J. Warren of New Jersey.
Stratford unveiled its Diversity Fountain in the town's waterfront park Saturday.
The fountain surrounds a bronze statue of Mi'Kmaq runner Michael Thomas, who was a athlete in the early years of the last century and was later compared to legendary First Nations runner Tom Longboat of Ontario.
Thomas was born on Lennox Island in 1885 and was in his mid-20s' when Father John A. MacDonald encouraged him to take up running competitively.
Thomas won the Charlotetown Patriot 10 mile race in 1909, 1910 and 1911 and other races around the Maritimes.
He was the first Islander to ever run in the Boston Marathon in 1911. He would finished 26th with a time better than that of the winner from two years previous. His feat was doubly amazing because he ran the 26 mile course without water because the cyclist carrying his refreshment was involved in an accident.
He was forced to quite running due to arthritis and he died in 1954.
The statue was sculpted by Thomas J. Warren of New Jersey.
