List of mayors and city managers of Worcester, Massachusetts facts for kids

The official seal of Worcester, Massachusetts.

Worcester, Massachusetts, like many cities, needs leaders to help it run smoothly. These leaders are called mayors and city managers. They work hard to make sure the city's services, like schools, parks, and roads, are well-managed for everyone who lives there.

A mayor is often the main leader of a city. They are usually elected by the people. Their job is to represent the city, lead city council meetings, and help set goals for the city's future.

A city manager is a professional who is hired by the city council. They are like the CEO of a company, but for the city! Their main job is to handle the day-to-day operations and make sure the city's departments are working efficiently. Worcester has used both systems throughout its history.

Worcester's Mayors

Worcester first started having mayors in 1848. The mayor's role has changed over the years. For a long time, the mayor was the main leader. But in 1950, Worcester switched to a "Plan E Charter." This meant the city started using a "weak mayor" system. In this system, the city manager became the main person in charge of daily operations, and the mayor's role became more about leading the city council and representing the city.

In 1988, Worcester changed its system again. The mayor became "popularly elected" once more, meaning the people directly voted for them. This made the mayor's role stronger again, allowing them to have more direct influence on the city's direction.

Here is a list of the people who have served as mayor of Worcester:

#	Image	Mayor	Term	Notes
1		Levi Lincoln, Jr.	April 17, 1848 – April 1, 1849
2		Henry Chapin	April 1, 1849 – April 7, 1851
3		Peter C. Bacon	April 7, 1851 – January 3, 1853
4		John S.C. Knowlton	January 3, 1853 – January 1, 1855
5		George W. Richardson	January 1, 1855 – January 7, 1856
6		Isaac Davis	January 7, 1856 – January 5, 1857
7		George W. Richardson	January 5, 1857 – January 4, 1858
8		Isaac Davis	January 4, 1858 – January 3, 1859
9		Alexander Bullock	January 3, 1859 – January 2, 1860
10		William W. Rice	January 2, 1860 – January 7, 1861
11		Isaac Davis	January 7, 1861 – January 6, 1862
12		Peleg Emory Aldrich	January 6, 1862 – January 3, 1863	Later served as a judge in Massachusetts.
13		Daniel Waldo Lincoln	January 3, 1863 – January 2, 1865
14		Phinehas Ball	January 2, 1865 – January 1, 1866
15		James B. Blake	January 1, 1866 – December 18, 1870	Died while in office.
A		Henry Chapin	December 19, 1870 – January 1, 1871	Elected as temporary mayor by the City Council.
16		Edward Earle	February 6, 1871 – January 1, 1871	Elected in a special election to finish Mayor Blake's term.
17		George F. Verry	January 1, 1872 – January 6, 1873
18		Clark Jillson	January 6, 1873 – January 5, 1874
19		Edward Livingston Davis	January 5, 1874 – January 4, 1875
20		Clark Jillson	January 4, 1875 – January 1, 1877
21		Charles B. Pratt	January 1, 1877 – January 5, 1880
22		Frank H. Kelley	January 5, 1880 – January 3, 1882
23		Elijah B. Stoddard	January 3, 1882 – January 1, 1883
24		Samuel E. Hildreth	January 1, 1883 – January 7, 1884
25		Charles G. Reed	January 7, 1884 – January 4, 1886
26		Samuel Winslow	January 4, 1886 – January 6, 1890
27		Francis A Harrington	January 6, 1890 - January 2, 1893	Previously served on the Board of Aldermen of Worcester.
28		Henry A. Marsh	January 2, 1893 – January 6, 1896
29		Augustus B. R. Sprague	January 6, 1896 – January 3, 1898
30		Rufus B. Dodge, Jr.	January 3, 1898 – February 25, 1901
31		Philip J. O'Connell	1901
32		Edward F. Fletcher	1902-1903
33		Walter H. Blodgett	1904-1905
34		John T. Duggan	1906-1907
35		James Logan	1908-1911
36		David F. O'Connell	1912
37		George Merrill Wright	January 6, 1913 – January 1, 1917
38		Pehr G. Holmes	January 1, 1917 – January 5, 1920
39		Peter F. Sullivan	January 5, 1920 – 1923
40		Michael J. O'Hara	1924-1931
41		John C. Mahoney	1932-1935
42		Walter J. Cookson	1936-June 11, 1936
43		John S. Sullivan	1936-1937
44		William A. Bennett	1938-1945	Later became the Sheriff of Worcester County.
45		Charles F. "Jeff" Sullivan	1946-1949	Later became the Lt. Governor of Massachusetts. He was the last mayor before the city manager system started.
46		Andrew B. Holmstrom	1950-1953	The first mayor appointed under the new "weak mayor" system.
47		James D. O'Brien	1954-1958
48		Joseph C. Casdin	1959
49		James D. O'Brien	1960-1961
50		John M. Shea	1962
51		Joseph C. Casdin	1962-1963
52		Paul V. Mullaney	1963-1965
53		George A. Wells	1966
54		Joseph C. Casdin	1967-1968
55		John M. Shea	1969
56		George A. Wells	1970
57		Joseph M. Tinsley	1971
58		Thomas J. Early	1972
59		Joseph M. Tinsley	1973
60		Israel Katz	1974-1975
61		Thomas J. Early	1976-1979
62		Jordan Levy	1980-1981
63		Sara Robertson	1982-1983
64		Joseph M. Tinsley	1984-1985
65		John B. Anderson	1986
66		Timothy J. Cooney, Jr.	1987	The last mayor to be appointed by the city council.
67		Jordan Levy	1988-1993	The first mayor elected directly by the people under the new city rules.
68		Raymond Mariano	1994-2001
69		Timothy Murray	2002-January 9, 2007	Later became the Lt. Governor of Massachusetts.
70		Konstantina Lukes	January 10, 2007 – January 4, 2010
71		Joseph C. O'Brien	January 4, 2010 – January 2, 2012
72		Joseph Petty	January 2, 2012 – Present

Worcester's City Managers

Worcester started using a city manager system in 1950. The city manager is a professional who is hired by the city council. Their job is to manage the city's daily operations. They make sure that the city's departments, like public works and police, run smoothly. This system helps keep the city's services efficient and well-organized.

Here is a list of the city managers who have served Worcester:

See also

• Mayoral elections in Worcester, Massachusetts