List of mayors of Nashville, Tennessee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mayor of Nashville |
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Seal of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County
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 Freddie O'Connell since September 25, 2023 |
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| Term length | 4 years |
| Inaugural holder | Beverly Briley |
| Formation | 1963 |
| Succession | Vice mayor of Nashville |
| Salary | $180,000 |
The Mayor of Nashville is like the chief boss of the city government in Nashville, Tennessee. The mayor helps make important decisions and leads the city's departments. The person who is currently the mayor is Freddie O'Connell.
Each mayor serves for four years. They can serve for two terms in a row. This means they can be elected twice in a row. Sometimes, a special vote called a recall election can stop a mayor's term early.
Contents
What Does the Mayor Do?
The mayor is the main leader of Nashville. They work to make the city a better place for everyone. This includes managing city services like parks, roads, and public safety. The mayor also works with the Metropolitan Council. This group helps make laws for the city.
The mayor's job is very important. They represent Nashville to the rest of the country. They also help plan for the city's future. This includes things like new buildings and transportation.
Mayors of Old Nashville
Before 1963, Nashville had a city government. It was separate from the government of Davidson County. Here is a list of the mayors from that time.
Before the Civil War
These mayors led Nashville in its early years. This was before the American Civil War.
| Mayor | Term |
|---|---|
| Joseph Coleman | 1806–1809 |
| Benjamin J. Bradford | 1809–1811 |
| William Tait | 1811–1814 |
| Joseph Thorpe Elliston | 1814–1817 |
| Stephen Cantrell, Jr. | 1817–1817 |
| Felix Robertson | 1818–1819 |
| Thomas Crutcher | 1819–1820 |
| James Condon | 1820–1821 |
| John Patton Erwin | 1821–1822 |
| Robert Brownlee Currey | 1822–1824 |
| Randal McGavock | 1824–1825 |
| Wilkins F. Tannehill | 1825–1827 |
| Felix Robertson | 1827–1829 |
| William Armstrong | 1829–1833 |
| John Meredith Bass | 1833–1834 |
| John Patton Erwin | 1834–1835 |
| William Nichol | 1835–1837 |
| Henry Hollingsworth | 1837–1839 |
| Charles Clay Trabue | 1839–1841 |
| Samuel Van Dyke Stout | 1841–1842 |
| Thomas B. Coleman | 1842–1843 |
| Powhatan W. Maxey | 1843–1845 |
| John Hugh Smith | 1845–1846 |
| John A. Goodlett | 1846–1847 |
| Alexander Allison | 1847–1849 |
| John McCormick Lea | 1849–1850 |
| John Hugh Smith | 1850–1853 |
| Williamson Hartley Horn | 1853–1854 |
| William Booker Shapard | 1854–1854 |
| Robert Bell Castleman | 1854–1856 |
| Andrew Anderson | 1856–1857 |
| John A. McEwen | 1857–1858 |
| Randal William McGavock | 1858–1859 |
| Samuel N. Hollingsworth | 1859–1860 |
During and After the Civil War
These mayors served during the Civil War and the time right after it. This was a challenging period for the city.
| Mayor | Term |
|---|---|
| Richard Boone Cheatham | 1860–1862 |
| John Hugh Smith | 1862–1865 |
| William Matt Brown | 1865–1867 |
| Augustus E. Alden | 1867–1869 |
| John Meredith Bass | 1869–1869 |
| Kindred Jenkins Morris | 1869–1871 |
| Thomas A. Kercheval | 1871–1874 |
| Morton Boyte Howell | 1874–1875 |
From Reconstruction to Consolidation
This list shows mayors from the end of the Reconstruction era. It goes up to when Nashville's city government joined with Davidson County's government. This joining is called "consolidation."
| Mayor | Term |
|---|---|
| Thomas A. Kercheval | 1875–1883 |
| Claiborne Hooper Phillips | 1883–1886 |
| Thomas A. Kercheval | 1886–1888 |
| Charles P. McCarver | 1888–1890 |
| William Litterer | 1890–1891 |
| George Blackmore Guild | 1891–1895 |
| William Marshall McCarthey | 1895–1897 |
| Richard Houston Dudley | 1897–1900 |
| James Marshall Head | 1900–1904 |
| Albert Smiley Williams | 1904–1906 |
| Thomas Owen Morris | 1906–1908 |
| James Stephens Brown | 1908–1909 |
| Hilary Ewing Howse | 1909–1915 |
| Robert Ewing | 1915–1917 |
| William Gupton | 1917–1921 |
| Felix Zollicoffer Wilson | 1921–1922 |
| William Percy Sharpe | 1922–1924 |
| Hilary Ewing Howse | 1924–1938 |
| Thomas L. Cummings, Sr. | 1938–1951 |
| Ben West | 1951–1963 |
Mayors of Modern Nashville
In 1963, Nashville's city government and Davidson County's government joined together. This created a new, bigger government. This is called a "metropolitan government." Here are the mayors who have served since then.
| Image | Mayor | Term |
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Beverly Briley | 1963–1975 |
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Richard Fulton | 1975–1987 |
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Bill Boner | 1987–1991 |
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Phil Bredesen | 1991–1999 |
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Bill Purcell | 1999–2007 |
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Karl Dean | 2007–2015 |
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Megan Barry | 2015–2018 |
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David Briley | 2018–2019 |
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John Cooper | 2019–2023 |
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Freddie O'Connell | 2023–present |
See Also
