The history of Louisville, Kentucky, United States, as a city is considered to have started on February 13, 1828, the date of the first city charter. From the time of its first organization as a village, on February 7, 1781, until its incorporation as a city, it was governed by a board of trustees. At the time when its growth and commercial importance demanded the change of its government, it was chartered by the state legislature into a city of five wards and placed under the government of a mayor and city council, the latter being composed of ten members, two from each ward.
The first election under the Act of Incorporation took place in March 1828. All free white males who had lived in the city for at least six months prior to the election could vote, although mayors were not elected directly initially. The two top vote-getters were referred to the Governor, who selected the mayor from the two, with senate approval. The early mayor was relatively weak, acting mostly as a Justice of the Peace, serving a one-year term, and lacking a vote on the City Council except to break ties.
A change to the charter in 1838 allowed for direct election of a mayor, extended the term to three years, and prevented incumbents from running for re-election. The term was reduced to two years from 1851 to 1870, then returned to three, and was finally set at four years by the Kentucky Legislature in 1894. In the early 20th century, corruption and political machines were rampant, causing mayors of both parties to be removed from office by courts. All legislative power was given to the Board of Aldermen in 1929. Mayoral term limits were set at three in 1986.
Memorial History of Louisville, 1896, Volume 1, page 77 by J. Stoddard Johnson.
. Archived from the original on 2007-04-27.
January 16, 2023
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The history of Louisville Kentucky United States as a city is considered to have started on February 13 1828 the date of the first city charter From the time of its first organization as a village on February 7 1781 until its incorporation as a city it was governed by a board of trustees At the time when its growth and commercial importance demanded the change of its government it was chartered by the state legislature into a city of five wards and placed under the government of a mayor and city council the latter being composed of ten members two from each ward Mayor of Louisville KentuckyIncumbentCraig Greenbergsince January 2 2023Formation1828First holderJohn Bucklin Contents 1 History of the office 2 Incorporated city 3 Louisville Metro 4 See also 5 Notes 6 ReferencesHistory of the office EditThe first election under the Act of Incorporation took place in March 1828 All free white males who had lived in the city for at least six months prior to the election could vote although mayors were not elected directly initially The two top vote getters were referred to the Governor who selected the mayor from the two with senate approval The early mayor was relatively weak acting mostly as a Justice of the Peace serving a one year term and lacking a vote on the City Council except to break ties A change to the charter in 1838 allowed for direct election of a mayor extended the term to three years and prevented incumbents from running for re election The term was reduced to two years from 1851 to 1870 then returned to three and was finally set at four years by the Kentucky Legislature in 1894 In the early 20th century corruption and political machines were rampant causing mayors of both parties to be removed from office by courts All legislative power was given to the Board of Aldermen in 1929 Mayoral term limits were set at three in 1986 On January 6 2003 the city of Louisville and Jefferson County governments merged to form the government of Louisville Metro and the office of Mayor of Louisville Metro was created Incorporated city EditMayor Term began Term ended Political partyJohn Bucklin 1828 1833John Joyes 1834 1836W A Cocke 1836 1836Frederick A Kaye 1837 1840 WhigDavid L Beatty 1841 1843Frederick A Kaye 1844 1846 WhigWilliam R Vance 1847 1850 WhigJohn M Delph 1850 1852James S Speed 1853 1854 WhigJohn Barbee 1855 1856 Know NothingWilliam S Pilcher 1857 August 1858 1 Know NothingThomas W Riley August 1858 April 1859 2 WhigThomas H Crawford April 1859 1860 UnionistJohn M Delph 1861 1862 UnionistWilliam Kaye 1863 1865 DemocraticPhilip Tomppert 1865 December 28 1865 3 DemocraticJames S Lithgow January 2 1866 February 14 1867 4 DemocraticPhilip Tomppert February 14 1867 1868 DemocraticJoseph H Bunce 1869 March 1870 DemocraticJohn G Baxter 1870 1872 DemocraticCharles D Jacob 1873 1878 DemocraticJohn G Baxter 1879 1881 DemocraticCharles D Jacob 1882 1884 DemocraticP Booker Reed 1885 1887 DemocraticCharles D Jacob 1888 1890 DemocraticWilliam L Lyons May 12 1890 5 August 1890 DemocraticHenry S Tyler 1891 January 14 1896 6 DemocraticRobert Emmet King January 14 1896 January 31 1896 pro tem RepublicanGeorge Davidson Todd January 31 1896 December 1897 RepublicanCharles P Weaver December 1897 December 1901 DemocraticCharles F Grainger December 1901 December 1905 DemocraticPaul C Barth December 1905 July 1907 7 DemocraticRobert W Bingham July 1907 December 1907 8 DemocraticJames F Grinstead December 1907 December 1909 RepublicanWilliam O Head December 1909 December 1913 DemocraticJohn H Buschemeyer December 1913 December 1917 DemocraticGeorge Weissinger Smith December 1917 December 1921 RepublicanHuston Quin December 1921 December 1925 RepublicanArthur A Will December 1925 June 1927 9 RepublicanJoseph T O Neal June 1927 December 1927 DemocraticWilliam B Harrison December 1927 December 1933 RepublicanNeville Miller December 1933 December 1937 DemocraticJoseph D Scholtz December 1937 December 1941 DemocraticWilson W Wyatt December 1941 December 1945 DemocraticE Leland Taylor December 1945 February 16 1948 10 DemocraticCharles R Farnsley February 16 1948 December 1953 DemocraticAndrew Broaddus December 1953 December 1957 DemocraticBruce Hoblitzell December 1957 December 1961 DemocraticWilliam O Cowger December 1961 December 1965 RepublicanKenneth A Schmied December 1965 December 1969 RepublicanFrank W Burke December 1969 December 1 1973 DemocraticHarvey I Sloane December 1 1973 December 1 1977 DemocraticWilliam B Stansbury December 1 1977 January 1 1982 DemocraticHarvey I Sloane January 1 1982 January 1 1986 DemocraticJerry Abramson January 1 1986 January 1 1999 DemocraticDavid L Armstrong January 1 1999 January 5 2003 DemocraticLouisville Metro EditMayor Image Term began Term ended Political partyJerry Abramson January 6 2003 January 2 2011 DemocraticGreg Fischer January 3 2011 January 1 2023 DemocraticCraig Greenberg January 2 2023 Present DemocraticSee also EditLouisville Metro Council Government of Louisville Kentucky History of Louisville Kentucky Timeline of Louisville Kentucky Louisville mayoral election 2014Notes Edit Died in office in August 1858 Served as mayor Served as mayor pro tempore Left office in April 1859 Impeached by Board of Aldermen for failure to approve an infrastructure bill tainted by bribery Resigned on February 14 1867 after the Kentucky Court of Appeals restored Tomppert Served as mayor pro tempore Left office on January 14 1896 Removed from office in June 1907 as election was found to be fraudulent Appointed interim mayor Removed from office in June 1927 as election was found to be fraudulent Died in office on February 16 1948 References EditMemorial History of Louisville 1896 Volume 1 page 77 by J Stoddard Johnson UofL Libraries Mayors of Louisville Archived from the original on 2007 04 27 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title List of mayors of Louisville Kentucky amp oldid 1132892281, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
