List of mayors of Providence, Rhode Island facts for kids
A mayor is the leader of a city or town. They are in charge of making important decisions and overseeing how the city runs. Think of them like the principal of a school, but for a whole city! The mayor works with the city council to make sure things like roads, parks, and public safety are well managed.
In Providence, Rhode Island, the mayor's job has changed a bit over the years. When the city first started having mayors, they served for just one year, from June to June. Later, in 1873, the term changed to start and end in January. Then, in 1913, the term was made longer to two years. Finally, in January 1967, the term became four years, which is how long it is today. This longer term helps mayors work on bigger projects for the city.
Who Are Providence's Mayors?
Providence has had many different mayors since the city began electing them. Each mayor has helped shape the city in their own way. This list shows the people who have held this important position.
| # | Image | Name | Term | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Samuel W. Bridgham | June 1832–December 28, 1840 | Whig | |
| 2 | Thomas M. Burgess | February 2, 1841–June 1852 | Whig | |
| 3 | Amos C. Barstow | June 1852–June 1853 | Whig | |
| 4 | Walter R. Danforth | June 1853–June 1854 | Democrat | |
| 5 | Edward P. Knowles | June 1854–June 1855 | Whig | |
| 6 | James Y. Smith | June 1855–June 1857 | Republican | |
| 7 | William M. Rodman | June 1857–June 1859 | American | |
| 8 | Jabez C. Knight | June 1859–June 1864 | Republican | |
| 9 | Thomas A. Doyle | June 1864–June 1869 | Republican | |
| 10 | George L. Clarke | June 1869–June 1870 | Republican | |
| 11 | Thomas A. Doyle | June 1870–June 1881 | Republican | |
| 12 | William S. Hayward | January 1881–January 1884 | Republican | |
| 13 | Thomas A. Doyle | January 1884–June 9, 1886 | Republican | |
| 14 | Gilbert F. Robbins | June 9, 1886–January 1889 | Republican | |
| 15 | Henry R. Barker | January 1889–January 1891 | Republican | |
| 16 | Charles Sydney Smith | January 1891–January 1892 | Republican | |
| 17 | William Knight Potter | January 1892–January 1894 | Democrat | |
| 18 | Frank F. Olney | January 1894–January 1896 | Republican | |
| 19 | Edwin D. McGuinness | January 6, 1896–January 3, 1898 | Democrat | |
| 20 | William C. Baker | January 1898–January 1901 | Democrat | |
| 21 | Daniel L. D. Granger | January 1901–January 1903 | Democrat | |
| 22 | Augustus S. Miller | January 1903–September 26, 1905 | Democrat | |
| 23 | Elisha Dyer, Jr. | January 1906–November 29, 1906 | Republican | |
| 24 | Patrick J. McCarthy | January 1907–January 1909 | Democratic | |
| 25 | Henry Fletcher | January 1909–January 1913 | Republican | |
| 26 | Joseph H. Gainer | January 1913–January 1927 | Democratic | |
| 27 | James E. Dunne | January 1927–January 1939 | Democratic | |
| 28 | John F. Collins | January 2, 1939–January 6, 1941 | Republican | |
| 29 | Dennis J. Roberts | January 1941–January 1951 | Democratic | |
| 30 | Walter H. Reynolds | January 1951–January 5, 1965 | Democratic | |
| 31 | Joseph A. Doorley, Jr. | January 5, 1965–January 6, 1975 | Democratic | |
| 32 | Vincent "Buddy" Cianci | January 7, 1975–April 25, 1984 | Republican (1974–1982) Independent (1982–1984) |
|
| 33 | Joseph R. Paolino | April 25, 1984–January 7, 1991 | Democratic | |
| 34 | Vincent "Buddy" Cianci | January 7, 1991–September 6, 2002 | Independent | |
| 35 | John J. Lombardi | September 6, 2002–January 6, 2003 | Democratic | |
| 36 | David Cicilline | January 6, 2003–January 3, 2011 | Democratic | |
| 37 | Angel Taveras | January 3, 2011–January 5, 2015 | Democratic | |
| 38 | Jorge Elorza | January 5, 2015–January 2, 2023 | Democratic | |
| 39 | Brett Smiley | January 2, 2023–present | Democratic |
.jpg)
.jpg)
See also
- Mayoral elections in Providence, Rhode Island
Sources
- Mayors of the Town of Cumberland at Cityof.ProvidenceRI.com
- List of mayors (Political Graveyard)
