Mayors of Wildwood, New Jersey facts for kids
Wildwood, New Jersey, became an official town (called a borough) on May 1, 1895. Later, on January 1, 1912, it became a city and joined with another town called Holly Beach, New Jersey.
Wildwood is run by a group of three leaders called commissioners. This way of running a city is called a 'commission government'. These three commissioners are chosen by all the voters in Wildwood (that's 'at-large'). They don't run as part of a political party ('nonpartisan'). They all serve for four years at the same time, and people vote for them in November. After each election, the commissioners pick one of themselves to be the mayor. Each commissioner also gets a specific part of the city to manage, like parks or public safety.
Wildwood City Mayors
Here are the people who have served as mayor of Wildwood City since it became a city in 1912:
| Mayor | Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ernest Troiano, Jr. | 2011 | This was his second time as mayor. People voted to remove him from office before his term ended. |
| Gary S. DeMarzo | 2009 to 2011 | |
| Ernest Troiano, Jr. | 2003 to 2009 | This was his first time as mayor. |
| Duane Sloan | 1999 to 2003 | |
| Fred Wager | 1995 to 1999 | |
| Edmund J. Grant Jr. | 1991 to 1995 | |
| Ralph Sheets | 1987 to 1991 | |
| Victor Di Sylvester | 1984 to 1987 | |
| Earl B. Ostrander | 1983 to 1984 | People voted to remove him from office before his term ended. |
| Guy F. Muziani | 1972 to 1983 | |
| Charles Masciarella | 1968 to 1972 | |
| Ralph G. James | 1956 to 1968 | He served the longest term as Mayor of Wildwood City, for 12 years. |
| W. Harry Steele Jr. | 1948 to 1956 | |
| George Wagner Krogman Sr. | 1945 to 1948 | This was his second time as mayor. |
| Benjamin Charles Ingersoll | 1944 to 1945 | He was born in Ocean City, New Jersey, and moved to Wildwood when he was three. He passed away while he was still serving as mayor. |
| George Wagner Krogman Sr. | 1938 to 1944 | This was his first time as mayor. He was born in Pennsylvania. |
| Doris W. Bradway | 1933 to 1938 | Doris W. Bradway was the first female mayor in the entire state of New Jersey! People voted to remove her from office before her term ended. |
| William H. Bright | 1933 | |
| Robert G. Pierpont | 1927 to 1933 | |
| Edward Culver | 1924 to 1927 | |
| W. Courtwright Smith | 1921 to 1924 | |
| Frank E. Smith | 1912 to 1920 | |
| Jacob Thompson Baker | 1912 | Jacob Thompson Baker was the very first mayor of the new, combined Wildwood City. He served the shortest term as mayor, only 11 months, because he was elected to the United States Congress. |
Wildwood Borough Mayors (Before 1912)
Before Wildwood became a city and merged with Holly Beach, it was a borough. Here is its mayor:
| Mayor | Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Latimer R. Baker | 1895 to 1911 | He was the mayor of Wildwood Borough before it joined with Holly Beach City to form the Wildwood we know today. |
Mayors of Holly Beach City (Before 1912)
Holly Beach, New Jersey, became a borough on April 14, 1885. It later became Holly Beach City on May 4, 1897. On January 1, 1912, Holly Beach City joined with Wildwood Borough to create the new Wildwood, New Jersey. Here are the mayors who served Holly Beach City:
| Mayor | Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Frank E. Smith | 1892 to 1911 | Frank E. Smith was the last mayor of Holly Beach City before it merged with Wildwood Borough. |
| William E. Forcum | 1891 | This was his second time as mayor. |
| J.B. Osborn | 1890 | |
| William E. Forcum | 1886 to 1889 | This was his first time as mayor. |
| Franklin J. Van Valin | 1885 | He was the first mayor of Holly Beach City. Sadly, he passed away after being hit by a train at a railroad crossing. |
