Top 10 Most Important Mayors In History

#10: Stephen Goldsmith

Indianapolis, Indiana (1992-2000)

Careers in public service can often be malleable, taking on different jobs and responsibilities as politicians graduate from novice leaders to seasoned professionals. Stephen Goldsmith began his career as a prosecutor for Marion County, Indiana, before eventually earning two terms as the mayor of Indianapolis. Goldsmith served from 1992 to 2000, and during that time invigorated the city’s municipal ventures by encouraging both private and public sectors to bid for contracts. This greatly benefited workforces at home, while the competition allowed for those that most desired the work to get the job.

#9: Josiah Quincy IIIBoston, Massachusetts (1805-13)

The legacy of Josiah Quincy III is one that looms large over New England history, particularly within Massachusetts. Quincy was only the second mayor to serve Boston, after John Phillips; and the very popular tourist attraction Quincy Market serves as his legacy. Elsewhere, it was under his watch that the police and fire departments saw restructuring. Quincy also had his eye on the city’s poor population, working to make them more comfortable while strengthening Boston’s school system. Quincy did spend a lot of money while he was Boston’s mayor, but it could be argued that his dedicated focus to every aspect of the city helped it run smoother in the long run.

#8: Grover Cleveland

Buffalo, New York (1883-85)

It’s sort of a strange statistic, but there actually haven’t been many U.S. Presidents who served as mayors before acquiring the nation’s highest office. Andrew Johnson served Greenville, Tennessee, while Calvin Coolidge was Mayor of Northampton, Massachusetts. But it was Grover Cleveland who served the largest city prior to his presidency. He was Mayor of Buffalo, New York for only a year, from 1881 to 1882. This was due to Cleveland’s rise to the position of Governor, where he further served the State of New York by fighting corruption and public spending. Then, only three years later, Cleveland won the U.S. presidential election, and began his first of two terms in the Oval Office.

#7: Samuel M. Jones

Toledo, Ohio (1897-1904)

He was known colloquially as “Golden Rule” Jones, espousing the age-old ethos of treating others as one would want to be treated. His mayorship of Toledo, Ohio proved that he wasn’t just talk, either, as he demonstrated a remarkable acumen for progressive ideas. Free kindergartens were opened under Samuel Jones’ administration, as well as playgrounds and public baths for hot summer days. He even stripped police of their truncheon night sticks. Jones ran as a Republican, but his views and policies cost him support during his first term. “A man without a party,” in his own words, Jones served as an Independent from 1899 to his death during his third term in office.

#6: Hazen S. Pingree

Detroit, Michigan (1889-1897)

This mayor moved away from his native New England to serve Detroit, Michigan for two terms. Hazen S. Pingree ran as a Republican, but notably railed against major corporate interests monopolizing municipal services in the area. He made citizens of Detroit breathe a little easier by making the city more affordable and prosperous during a period of economic uncertainty. Tougher times were offset by public gardening spaces, where food could be grown, while Detroit’s local infrastructure was encouraged by Pingree to be locally owned and publicly regulated. Pingree’s experience as Mayor must have done him well, because he would graduate to Michigan’s governorship in 1897.

#5: David L. Lawrence

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (1946-59)

We seem to have noticed a pattern here with regards to American mayorship, mainly in how it can often serve as a direct path to the Governor’s office. This was certainly the road travelled by David L. Lawrence of Pennsylvania, although he's the only Pittsburgh mayor to achieve this feat. Lawrence proved his mettle as a leader early on, offering up bipartisan solutions and working across the aisle with Republican colleagues to clean up Pittsburgh’s environment. He served four terms as a popular mayor who seemed to embody a spirit of political compromise, alongside a dedication to results.

#4: Tom L. Johnson

Cleveland, Ohio (1901-09)

This was another four-term mayor, a jovial and charismatic man whose campaign for the office was notable for its irreverent publicity stunts. Tom L. Johnson wasn’t only about good times and ballyhoo, however. He made headlines on inauguration day by saving city land that today serves as grounds for such major Cleveland landmarks as Huntington Bank Field and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Johnson also switched Cleveland’s privatized sanitation department into a public one; lessened police punishment towards first-time offenders; and focused his efforts on community and municipal ownership. Needless to say, he was very popular with his constituents.

#3: Maynard Jackson

Atlanta, Georgia (1974-82, 1990-94)

Change doesn’t occur in a vacuum. Maynard Jackson's historic position as the first African-American mayor of Atlanta, Georgia helped lay the groundwork for Shirley Franklin’s similar position as the first African-American woman to hold the office. [xref] We probably still wouldn’t be discussing Jackson if he didn’t also make a difference in the office, however. His primary focus was on race relations and police accountability, although this position did get Jackson in trouble when he installed an unqualified friend as Public Safety Commissioner. A. Reginald Eaves would later be convicted of extortion. Despite this, Mayor Jackson worked an uphill battle against Atlanta’s rising crime rate.

#2: Richard M. Daley

Chicago, Illinois (1989-2011)

Chicagoans seemed to love electing Richard M. Daley as their mayor. This son of former mayor Richard J. Daley took office after the distinguished tenure of Harold Washington. (xref) Mayor Daley wound up serving six terms before declining to run for a seventh. Still, his legacy is a complicated one, full of inarguable results with questionable methods. He was tough on crime, but some Chicagoans complained about unfair treatment and brutality from their police force. He lowered rates and ran municipal facilities efficiently, but did so at the expense of the privatization that Daley actually favored. However, Chicago city workers also enjoyed welcomed benefits that could be shared with their spouses, while the city’s tourism, gun control and environmental areas all flourished.

#1: Fiorello La Guardia

New York, New York (1934-46)

NYC has installed a number of colorful individuals as mayor, from Ed Koch to Rudy Giuliani. (xref) Fiorello La Guardia, however, was good enough to have an airport named in his honor. La Guardia was a Republican, but he routinely worked across the aisle to achieve his progressive ideals. La Guardia, a son of Italian immigrants, also battled tirelessly against corruption, both within New York City and in his own office. He frequently butted heads with the Tammany Hall political organization that steered the Irish-dominated Democratic Party, but ultimately made New York City a better place for New Yorkers. This is all you can ever really want for a mayor, right?

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