List of mayors of Grand Forks, North Dakota facts for kids
The city of Grand Forks, North Dakota has had many leaders over the years. These leaders are called mayors. A mayor is like the head of the city's government. They help make important decisions for the city and its people. They work with a city council to manage things like roads, parks, and public safety. This list shows all the people who have served as mayor of Grand Forks.
Grand Forks: A Look at Its Mayors
The table below shows the people who have been mayors of Grand Forks. It also shows the years they served, which is called their "term."
| Term | Mayor |
|---|---|
| 1881–1882 | Col. W.H. Brown |
| 1882–1884 | M.L. McCormack |
| 1885 | J.S. Eshelman |
| 1886–1887 | D.M. Holmes |
| 1888–1889 | Alexander Griggs |
| 1889–1893 | H.L. Whithed |
| 1894–1896 | W.J. Anderson |
| 1896–1904 | John Dinnie |
| 1904–1908 | George Duis |
| 1908–1910 | Dr. John Taylor |
| 1910–1914 | M.F. Murray |
| 1914–1918 | James A. Dinnie |
| 1918–1920 | Dr. Henry Wheeler |
| 1920 | Grand Forks converts to City Commission style of government |
| 1920–1926 | Henry O'Keefe Jr. (President of City Commissioners) |
| 1926–1934 | John Hulteng (President of City Commissioners) |
| 1934–1940 | E.A. Fladland (President of City Commissioners) |
| 1940–1944 | T.H.H. Thoreson |
| 1944 | Return of Mayor/Alderman System |
| 1944–1952 | Harold Boe |
| 1952–1960 | Oscar Lunseth |
| 1960–1964 | Nelson Youngs |
| 1964–1972 | Hugo Magnuson |
| 1972–1980 | C.P. O'Neill |
| 1980–1988 | H.C. Bud Wessman |
| 1988–1996 | Michael Polovitz |
| 1996–2000 | Patricia Owens |
| 2000–2020 | Michael R. Brown |
| 2020–present | Brandon Bochenski |
How Grand Forks' Government Changed
For a while, Grand Forks changed how it was run. In 1920, the city switched to a "City Commission" style of government. Instead of a mayor, a group of people called "City Commissioners" led the city. One of them was called the "President of City Commissioners."
Then, in 1944, Grand Forks went back to having a mayor and an "Alderman System." This is similar to how many cities are run today, with a mayor and a city council.
