List of longest-serving United States mayors

Some of the longest-serving mayors in the United States are listed according to their length of service in that currently or has served in that part of the state or legislative office. The office of mayor is the highest ranking local official and responsibilities may vary from ceremonial (see weak mayor) to full-time responsibility for city operations (see strong mayor).

Serving mayors

A list of mayors still in office and ordered by their length of continuous service in that office. (If there is a break in their service, then this length is measured from their return to the office.)

Years Name Municipality Notes
50 years, 341 days Margaret M. Doud Mackinac Island, Michigan Entered office on April 14, 1975.[1]
50 years, 75 days Robert Heidenescher Dupont, Ohio Entered office on January 5, 1976.[2]
37 years, 324 days William D. Tate Grapevine, Texas Served from May 1, 1973 to May 1, 1985. Re-entered office on May 1, 1988.
50 years, 68 days Lamar Scroggs Oakwood, Georgia Entered office on January 12, 1976.[3]
49 years, 139 days Harold Rainwater Wilmore, Kentucky Entered office on November 2, 1976.[4]
50 years, 79 days Rutledge B. Leland, III McClellanville, South Carolina Entered office in 1976.[5]
48 years, 134 days Robert Chatfield Prospect, Connecticut Entered office on November 7, 1977.
49 years, 69 days Phil Williams McLemoresville, Tennessee Entered office on January 11, 1977.[6] He is the longest serving mayor in Tennessee history.
44 years, 287 days Mary Hawkins Butler Madison, Mississippi Entered office on June 7, 1981.
44 years, 321 days Jeffery D. Schielke Batavia, Illinois Entered office on May 4, 1981.[7]
44 years, 324 days Gerald R. Bennett Palos Hills, Illinois Entered office in 1981.[8]
44 years, 258 days Mark Anthony McClure Danville, West Virginia Entered office on July 6, 1981.
44 years, 5 days Johnny B. Thomas Glendora, Mississippi Entered office in March 16, 1982.
43 years, 140 days James V. Bender Jr Pollocksville, North Carolina Entered office on November 1, 1982.
42 years, 263 days Alan Haught Harrisville, West Virginia Entered office on July 1, 1983.[9][10]
42 years, 189 days William "Bill" McIntosh Moultrie, Georgia Entered office in September 13, 1983.
40–41 years Louie Davis Waldo, Florida Entered office in 1985.
39 years James B. Grant Louisville, Alabama Entered office in 1986.[11][12]
38 years Dennis M. Clough Westlake, Ohio Entered office in 1986.[13]
35 years, 263 days Richard Turner Weehawken, New Jersey Entered office July 1, 1990[14]
35 years, 135 days Ravi Bhasker Socorro, New Mexico Entered office on November 6, 1990.
35 years, 79 days James M. Cahill New Brunswick, New Jersey Entered office on January 1, 1991.[15]
34–35 years Mark Lauretti Shelton, Connecticut Entered office in 1991.[16]
33 years, 79 days J. Christian Bollwage Elizabeth, New Jersey Entered office on January 1, 1993.[17]
32 years, 77 days Dean J. Mazzarella Leominster, Massachusetts Entered office on January 3, 1994.

Former mayors

A list of mayors in order of their total length of service. (If there is a break in their service, then this length is measured as the sum of their terms.)

Years Name Municipality Notes
63 years, 73 days Hilmar Moore Richmond, Texas Served from September 22, 1949, until his death on December 4, 2012.[18]
61 years, 111 days John H. Land Apopka, Florida Served from January 1, 1950, to January 1, 1968, and from January 1, 1971, to April 22, 2014.
60 years Charles E. Long Booneville, Kentucky Served from 1958 until his death on August 3, 2019.[19]
58 years, 233 days Robert Linn Beaver, Pennsylvania Served from January 2, 1946, to August 22, 2004.
62 years, 59 days Bruce Arnold Valparaiso, Florida Served from January 21, 1964, until his death on February 23, 2017.
56 years Paul Jurko Yankee Lake, Ohio Served from November, 1931 until his death on March 1, 1988.
54 years, 270 days Robert L. Butler Marion, Illinois Served from May 6, 1963[20] until his resignation on January 31, 2018.[21]
52 years Gerald Calabrese Cliffside Park, New Jersey Served from 1961 to 1963 and 1965 to 2015.[22][23]
52 years Frank Caliper Colp, Illinois Served from 1935 until his death on March 28, 1987.
52 years, 0 days John M. Coyne Brooklyn, Ohio Served from 1948 to January 2000.[24][Notes 1]
51 years, 102 days Donald Stephens Rosemont, Illinois First Mayor of Rosemont. Served from village's incorporation in 1956 to 2007.
51 years, 361 days Robert M. Blais Lake George, New York Served from April 5, 1971, to April 1, 2023.[25][26]
51 years, 182 days Dock Hulett Gabbert Derma, Mississippi Served from July 1, 1969, to December 30, 2020.[27]
50 years, 298 days Leonard Scarcella Stafford, Texas Served from September 4, 1969, until his death on June 28, 2020.[28]
50 years, 0 days Leonard T. Connors Surf City, New Jersey Served from 1966 to January 5, 2016.
48 years, 352 days Frank E. Rodgers Harrison, New Jersey Served from September 4, 1946, to August 22, 1995.
48 years, 19 days Randall Wise Niceville, Florida Served from August, 1972 until his death on January 20, 2020.
48 years John Lewis Gay Berea, Kentucky Served from 1910 to 1958.
47 years, 11 months Frank Kelly Collingdale, Pennsylvania Served from 1970 until his death on November 22, 2018.
47 years, 115 days Nicholas B. Blase Niles, Illinois Served from May 2, 1961, until his resignation on August 25, 2008.[29]
47 years, 104 days Milt Kramer Manchester, Iowa Served from September 19, 1974, to January 1, 2022.
43 years, 275 days Noel B. Cummings Hodgkins, Illinois Served from 1979 until his formal retirement was announced on Oct. 3, 2022 at the age of 95.[30]
46 years, 364 days H. Ford Gravitt Cumming, Georgia Served from January 1, 1971, to December 31, 2017.
46 years, 222 days Joseph Sieb Norridge, Illinois Served from November 14, 1951, until his death on June 23, 1998.[31]
45 years Marvin Johnson Independence, Minnesota First elected in November 1979, retired on January 7, 2025.[32]
44 years Charles "Sonny" Penhale Helena, Alabama Served from 1968 to 2012.[33]
44 years Thomas M. Tartt Livingston, Alabama Served from 1980 to February 22, 2024.
44 years Gerald H. Thompson Fitzgerald, Georgia Served from January 1, 1968, to January 1, 2012.
45 years[34] Richard A. Mola Elmwood Park, New Jersey Served from 1972 until his death in 2016.[35]
43 years, 0 days Paul W. Cassidy Parma Heights, Ohio Served from January, 1958 to January, 2001.[36]
42 years, 0 days Tom Reid Pearland, Texas Served from 1978 to 1990 and 1993 to May, 2020.
44–45 years Gary W. Starr Middleburg Heights, Ohio Entered office in 1981.
41 years, 146 days Erastus Corning II Albany, New York Served from January 2, 1942, to May 28, 1983.
41 years, 239 days Harold Wayne Ford Galva, KS Served from June 6, 1977, to January 31, 2019. He was the longest serving mayor of Galva, KS.[37]
41 years Glenn L. Sisco Kinnelon, New Jersey Served from 1969 to 2010.[38]
40 years

180 days

Duane Dawson Milan, Illinois Served from May 6, 1985, to November 3, 2025.[39]
40 years Dennis Satre Hoffman, MN Served from 1985 to 2025[40]
40 years George C. Clanton Tappahannock, Virginia Served from 1948 to 1988
40 years

34 days

Michael S. Einhorn Crete, Illinois Served from April 8, 1985 to May 12, 2025
40 years, 27 days Joseph P. Riley Jr. Charleston, South Carolina Served from December 15, 1975, to January 11, 2016.[41]
39–40 years Louis Bay 2nd Hawthorne, New Jersey Served from 1947 to 1987.
39 years, 363 days William W. Dickinson Jr. Wallingford, Connecticut Served from January 2, 1984, to December 31, 2023.
39 years, 100 days John Ferrero City of Industry, California Served from Industry's incorporation in 1957 till his death on September 26, 1996.[42]
37–38 years James Eagan Florissant, Missouri Served from 1963 to 2000.
36 years Ross Aragon Pagosa Springs, Colorado Served from 1978 to 2014
36 years Randall Ramsey Parma, Missouri Served from 1962 to 1974 and from 1991 to 2015.[43]
35 years, 362 days Orville L. Hubbard Dearborn, Michigan Served from 1942 to 1978.
35 years, 54 days Edward J. Zabrocki Tinley Park, Illinois Served from May 1, 1981, until his resignation in June, 2016.
34–35 years Willis Conner Dexter, Missouri Served for about 35 years.[44]
34–35 years Glendel Stephenson Mebane, North Carolina Served from 1975 to 1983 and 1993 to 2019.[45][46]
34 years F. Edward Biertuempfel Union Township, Union County, New Jersey Served from 1939 to 1973[47]
33 years, 10 months David W. Smith Newark, California Served from March 1978 to December 2011[48][49]
33 years, 3 months Joseph Barabe Mellen, Wisconsin Served from April 1987 to April 2001 and April 2003 to July 2022
33 years Richard A. Nowack Oak Grove, Illinois Served from May 2, 1978 until his death on September 20, 2011.[50]
33 years Joseph Smith East Newark, New Jersey Served from 1987 to 2020[51]
32 years Anthony Vacco Evergreen Park, Illinois Served from 1969 to 2001.
32 years Shawn Hogan Hornell, New York Served from 1985 to 2017.
32 years Kenneth J. Sims Euclid, Ohio Served from 1938 until his retirement in June 1970[52]
31 years, 6 months James A. Anzaldi Clifton, New Jersey Entered office July 1, 1990 and left office on December 31, 2022[53][54]
30 years, 33 days Frank Hague Jersey City, New Jersey Served from 1917 to 1947.
30 years Richard Homrighausen Dover, Ohio Served from 1992 until his suspension from office in May 2022
30 years Emmett Dofner Jr. McClelland, Iowa Served from 1987 until his death on May 2, 2017.[55]
30 years Glenn Lewis Moore, Oklahoma Served from 1994 until 2024[56]
29 years, 354 days Daniel R. Brooks North College Hill, Ohio Served from January 1, 1984, until his resignation on December 21, 2013[57]
29 years, 201 days Dr. LeRoy G. Suire Erath, Louisiana Served from 1961 to 1990.
29 years, 39 days Willie Oswalt Lake City, Georgia Served from 1989 to 2018.
28 years, 321 days Arnold Klentz West Allis, Wisconsin Served from April 18, 1944, until his death on March 5, 1973.[58][59][Notes 2]
28 years, 150 days Don Plusquellic Akron, Ohio Served from January 1, 1987, until his resignation on May 31, 2015.
28 years, 4 days James Brainard Carmel, Indiana Served from January 1, 1996 to January 4, 2024
28 years Paul Amico Secaucus, New Jersey Served from 1964 to 1992.[60]
28 years Henry Clark Stephenville, Texas Served from 1928 to 1956.[61]
28 years, 0 days Henry Maier Milwaukee, Wisconsin Served from 1960 to 1988.[62]
28 years Walter A. Scott Jackson, Mississippi Served from 1917 to 1945.[63]
28 years Thomas Gerard Dunn Elizabeth, New Jersey 1964 to 1992. Longest-serving mayor of a city of more than 100,000 people.[64]
28 years George H. Lysle McKeesport, Pennsylvania Served from 1914 to 1942.[65]
27 years, 364 days Stephen R. Reed Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Served from 1982 to 2010.
27 years, 0 days Don Robart Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio Served from 1986 to 2013.
26 years, 30 days Miguel A. Pulido Santa Ana, California Served from 1994 to 2020.
26 years Manuel Lamela Abreu Quebradillas, Puerto Rico Served from 1918 to 1944.
24 Years Timothy Hanna Appleton, Wisconsin Served From 1996 to 2020.
24 Years John Antaramian Kenosha, Wisconsin Served From 1992 to 2008 and 2016 to 2024.
23 Years John W. Preece Delbarton, West Virginia Served from 1997 to 2019, was reelected in 2023, dying during his term[66]

Notes

  1. ^ The date of inauguration for Mayor John Coyne is not clear. It is clear that his successor, Kenneth Patton, took office in January 2000. References appear to confuse the 1999 election defeat with the day he left office. Most references state that he served 52 years, some from 1947–1999, a few from 1948 to 1999, and others from 1948 to 2000.
  2. ^ Both sources agree that Klentz was inaugurated in 1944; West Allis gives a date of April 18. West Allis inaccurately gives Klentz's death date as March 1971, whereas the contemporary source cited gives it as March 5, 1973.

References

  1. ^ Atkins, Harry (April 9, 1975). "Tradition Followed, But Also Broken in Mackinac". The Lewiston Daily Sun. Lewiston, Maine. p. 11. Retrieved December 2, 2023 – via Google News Archive.
  2. ^ "New Mayor Takes Over at Dupont". Defiance Crescent News. Defiance, Ohio. January 8, 1976. p. 12. Retrieved December 3, 2023 – via NewspaperArchive.
  3. ^ "Mayor Scroggs holds top post for over 45 years". AccessWDUN. October 27, 2021. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
  4. ^ A RESOLUTION honoring Wilmore Mayor Harold Rainwater as the longest-serving mayor in Kentucky (PDF) (Resolution 2318). House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. April 16, 2016.
  5. ^ Rutledge B. Leland III (House Resolution 4821). South Carolina General Assembly. February 1, 2018.
  6. ^ "McLemoresville Officials Administered Oath of Office". The Mckenzie Banner.
  7. ^ Staff (September 7, 2022). "Batavia Government Center to be named for Mayor Jeff Schielke". Shaw Local News Network. Archived from the original on September 7, 2022. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  8. ^ "City of Palos Hills – Pride in Progress". Government : Office of the Mayor. Palos Hills Web. City of Palos Hills.
  9. ^ "Town of Harrisville | Staff". Town of Harrisville. Retrieved May 8, 2025.
  10. ^ Duelley, Denise (June 28, 2023). "40 years later: Harrisville Mayor Haught discusses career". The Ritchie Gazette. Retrieved May 8, 2025.
  11. ^ Scarborough, Anastasia (October 12, 2010). "Louisville mayor honored for 50 years of service". Dothan Eagle. Retrieved March 25, 2025.
  12. ^ "Mayor - Louisville". louisvillealabama.gov. March 24, 2025. Retrieved March 25, 2025.
  13. ^ "Mayor Dennis M. Clough Biography | Westlake, OH - Official Website". www.cityofwestlake.org. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  14. ^ NJ.com, Kathryn Brenzel | NJ Advance Media for (July 26, 2015). "25 years of Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner". nj.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ "Mayors Office | New Brunswick, NJ". www.cityofnewbrunswick.org.
  16. ^ "Office of the Mayor ; Shelon, CT". www.cityofshelton.org.
  17. ^ "Our Mayor | Elizabeth, NJ". www.elizabethnj.org.
  18. ^ "15 mayors in major cities that have served as long – or longer – than Cleveland's Frank Jackson". cleveland. November 9, 2017.
  19. ^ "Obituary information for Charles E. Long (October 14, 1919 - August 3, 2019)". Booneville Funeral Home. Booneville, KY.
  20. ^ "Marion City Council Takes Office Today". The Southern Illinoisan. May 6, 1963. p. 3. Retrieved December 2, 2023 – via Newspaper Archive.
  21. ^ Halstead, Marilyn (December 1, 2017). "Marion Mayor Bob Butler says he will retire Jan. 31". The Southern Illinoisan. Archived from the original on December 29, 2017. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  22. ^ "Man believed to be New Jersey's longest-serving mayor dies / BC-US--Obit-Longtime Mayor, US", CLIFFSIDE PARK, N.J., Associated Press, April 13, 2015, Factiva APRS000020150413eb4d0056r.
  23. ^ "Hundreds gather at funeral for Gerry Calabrese, N.J.'s longest serving mayor – News – NorthJersey.com". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  24. ^ Iallonardo, Tony (November 15, 1999). "U.S. Has New "Longest-Serving Mayor". United States Conference of Mayors. Archived from the original on April 13, 2009. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  25. ^ Arnold, Chad (April 7, 2021). "Blais celebrates 50 years as Lake George mayor". Adirondack Daily Enterprise. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  26. ^ DeCamilla, Jana (April 8, 2023). "Mayor Perry: Ushering in a new era of Lake George Village". The Post-Star. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  27. ^ Moore, William (December 31, 2020). "State's longest serving mayor dies from COVID-19 complications". Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. Tupelo, Mississippi.
  28. ^ Smith, Tierra (June 29, 2020). "Mayor of Stafford, the longest-serving mayor in the nation, dies at 79". KPRC.
  29. ^ Schneider, Andrew (2012). Nick Blase: The Prince of Niles, Illinois. Charleston, SC: The History Press. ISBN 9781609495497.
  30. ^ "A Message from Mayor Noel B. Cummings . . " (PDF). Village of Hodgkins Communicator. Fall 2022. p. 1. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  31. ^ "Village History | Village of Norridge".
  32. ^ Kappel, Max (January 20, 2025). "Longtime mayor wraps political career at 89". Laker Pioneer. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
  33. ^ Etheredge, Alec (January 22, 2021). "'He bled Helena': Former Helena Mayor Sonny Penhale dies at 89". Shelby County Reporter. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  34. ^ Milsop, Matthew (October 27, 2016). "Borough's only mayor passes away at age 80". Community News. Elmwood Park & Saddle Brook, New Jersey: USA TODAY. p. EE1. NewsBank 1604D892005C58A0. Newspapers.com 494293526.
  35. ^ "Richard Mola Obituary (2016) – Elmwood Park, NJ". Legacy.com. Published in print as: "MOLA", Local : Obituaries, The Record / The Herald-News, vol. 122, no. 142, Hackensack/Passaic, New Jersey: USA TODAY, October 23, 2016, p. L-5, Newspapers.com 502664236, 502664705, 505328842; and "MOLA", Local : Obituaries, The Record / The Herald-News, vol. 122, no. 142, Hackensack/Passaic, New Jersey: USA TODAY, October 24, 2016, p. L-4, Newspapers.com 502665501, 502665764, 505329467.
  36. ^ Segall, Grant (July 11, 2013). "Mayor Paul W. Cassidy led Parma Heights for 43 years: news obituary". Cleveland Plain Dealer.
  37. ^ "Wayne Ford: August 23, 1944 — July 21, 2019". Obituaries. Stockham Funeral Home. Stockham Family Funeral Home.
  38. ^ Fagan, Matt (January 4, 2017), Former mayor appointed to vacant Kinnelon Council seat, North Jersey, retrieved October 13, 2023
  39. ^ "Milan mayor resigns after 40 years as mayor". November 3, 2025 – via , 2025.
  40. ^ Mallow, Mike (January 16, 2025). "Mayor of Hoffman steps down after 40 years". News. Grant County Herald. Archived from the original on January 18, 2025. Retrieved February 9, 2025.
  41. ^ Seabrook, Andrea (January 19, 2008), Charleston Mayor Reflects on 30 Years in Office, NPR, retrieved April 29, 2015
  42. ^ "Legacy of Fallen Mayor Reverberates in Industry's Name". Los Angeles Times. September 28, 1996. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  43. ^ "Tiny Missouri Town Plagued By Resignations After Electing First Black Mayor". NBC. April 21, 2015.
  44. ^ "Willis Conner". Missouri Obituary and Death Notice Archive. GenLookups.com. Bill Cribbs, CrippleCrab Creations. June 3, 2018. p. 1463. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  45. ^ "Glendel Stephenson, Mayor – City of Mebane". cityofmebane.com. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  46. ^ Williams, Jessica (June 5, 2019). "Stephenson to retire as Mebane mayor". The Times-News. Burlington, NC.
  47. ^ "F. Edward Biertuempfel Dead; Mayor of Union, N.J., Since '39". New York Times. April 20, 1973. p. 36. ProQuest 119608943, 119611194.
  48. ^ "David W Smith City Hall- Newark, CA - People-Named Places on Waymarking.com". www.waymarking.com.
  49. ^ Lola, Lauren (November 10, 2011). "Longest Standing Mayor Bids Newark Farewell". The Pioneer. California State University East Bay.
  50. ^ "Richard Nowack". Obituaries : MILAN. The Dispatch and The Rock Island Argus. Vol. 160, no. 340. Rock Island / Moline, Illinois: Moline Dispatch Publishing Co. September 23, 2011. p. A7. ISSN 1064-9220. Newspapers.com 436481145.
  51. ^ "Grilo takes over for Hudson's longest-serving mayor". New Jersey Globe. January 5, 2020.
  52. ^ Williams, John (June 24, 2010). "Sims – Leader and shaper of today's Euclid". Euclid Observer. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  53. ^ Rimbach, Jean. "New Clifton leaders make it official", The Record,July 2, 1990. Accessed December 18, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "Promising to guide Clifton in unity through what many say will be its toughest years yet, new Mayor James Anzaldi and his six council colleagues were sworn to office Sunday in a ceremony attended by more than 600 residents. The two-term councilman was named mayor by unanimous vote of the council during a small meeting that was later reenacted for the public."
  54. ^ Fagan, Matt. "Clifton's longest-serving mayor, James Anzaldi, not seeking reelection", The Record, August 31, 2022. Accessed December 18, 2023. "It appears that Clifton may get its first new mayor in 32 years.... He was first elected mayor by council colleagues in 1990, and he has remained the top vote-getter in every subsequent election."
  55. ^ "Obituary information for Emmett E. Dofner, Jr. (August 7, 1946 - May 2, 2017)". www.cutleroneill.com. Council Bluffs, IA: Cutler-O'Neill-Meyer-Woodring Funeral Home & Crematory. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  56. ^ "MOORE'S MR. MAYOR". Moore Monthly. April 28, 2024. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  57. ^ Evans, Brad (December 17, 2013 – October 8, 2017). "North College Hill mayor resigns unexpectedly". WLWT News Channel 5 Cincinnati. Ohio/Oklahoma Hearst Television Inc. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  58. ^ Muchka, Albert (2003). West Allis. Chicago: Arcadia Publishing. p. 57. ISBN 0-7385-3183-9.
  59. ^ "Mayor Klentz Dies". Fond du Lac Reporter. Vol. 47, no. 131. WEST ALLIS, Wis. AP. March 6, 1973. p. 8. NewspaperArchive paid access, library access.
  60. ^ "Paul Amico, a longtime Secaucus mayor, dies at 103". usatoday.com. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  61. ^ "Obituary for Henry Clark (Aged 77)". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. August 28, 1959. p. 4. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  62. ^ "Maier Ends 28 Years As Milwaukee's Mayor on April 21, 1988". chicagotribune.com. April 21, 1988. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
  63. ^ "Walter A. Scott, former Jackson mayor, dies at 87". Hattiesburg American. Vol. LXVIII, no. 154. JACKSON, Miss. AP. June 28, 1963. p. 2. Newspapers.com 277153577.
  64. ^ Smothers, Ronald (February 13, 1998). "Thomas Dunn, 76, Longtime Elizabeth Mayor". New York Times. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  65. ^ "MAYOR LYSLE obit". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. September 25, 1947. p. 1. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  66. ^ "Delbarton Mayor John Preece to be remembered in funeral services". WV MetroNews. December 19, 2023. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.