A quick look at Boston's history
Learn more about the history behind the Mayors of Boston and the Boston City Council, as well as the City's major land acquisitions.
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Still have questions? Contact:
Archives and Records Management
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201 Rivermoor Street
West Roxbury, MA 02132
Past Mayors of Boston
Mayors|
YEARS |
NAME |
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1822 |
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1823-1828 |
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1829-1831 |
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1832-1833 |
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1834-1835 |
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1836 |
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1837-1839 |
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1840-1842 |
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1843-1844 |
More details: From the close of Mayor Brimmer's term until the election of Thomas A. Davis, the Chairman of the Board of Aldermen, William Parker, acted as Mayor. (January 6, 1845 to February 27, 1845). |
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1845 |
More details: In the period between the death of Mayor Davis and the election of his successor, Josiah Quincy, Jr., Bensin Leavitt, the Chairman of the Board of Aldermen, acted as Mayor (November 22 to December 11, 1845). |
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1846-1848 |
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1849-1851 |
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1852-1853 |
More details: There were three ballots for the election of mayor for 1854, from December 12, 1853 to January 9, 1854. In the meantime, Benjamin L. Allen,the Chairman of the Board of Aldermen, acted as Mayor. |
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1854-1855 |
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1856-1857 |
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1858-1860 |
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1861-1862 |
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1863-1866 |
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1867 |
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1868-1870 |
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1871-1872 |
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1873 (10 months) |
More details: Pierce left his office on November 29, when he was elected to the US Congress. For the rest of the year, Leonard R. Cutter, the Chairman of the Board of Aldermen, served as Acting Mayor. |
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1873 (2 months) |
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1874-1876 |
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1877 |
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1878 |
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1879-1881 |
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1882 |
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1883 |
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1884 |
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1885-1888 |
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1889-1890 |
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1891-1894 |
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1895 |
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1896-1899 |
| Years | Name |
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1900-1901 |
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1902-1905 |
More details: When Collins died, Daniel A. Whelton, the Chairman of the Board of Aldermen, acted as Mayor for the rest of the year (September 15, 1905, to January 1, 1906). |
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1905 (3 1/2 mos.) |
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1906-1907 |
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1908-1909 |
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1910-1913 |
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1914-1917 |
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1918-1921 |
More details: Peters was the first Mayor not eligible to succeed himself. |
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1922-1925 |
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1926-1929 |
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1930-1933 |
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1934-1937 |
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1938-1944 |
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1945 |
More details: Mayor Tobin resigned on January 4, 1945, when he was elected governor. By Chapter 4 of the Acts of 1945, John F. Kerrigan, the president of the Boston City Council served as Mayor from January 25, 1945, through the end of the year. |
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1946-1949 |
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1947 (Five months) |
More details: City Clerk John B. Hynes served as temporary Mayor from June 26 to November 28, in 1947 during the absence of Mayor Curley. |
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1950-1959 |
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1960-1967 |
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1968-1983 |
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1984-1993 |
More details: Mayor Flynn was appointed US Ambassador to the Holy See. He resigned as Mayor on July 12, 1993. Thomas M. Menino, president of the Boston City Council, served as Acting Mayor for the rest of the year. |
| Years | Name |
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1993-2013 |
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2014-2021 |
More details: Mayor Walsh resigned on March 22, 2021, when he was appointed to serve as Secretary of Labor under President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Kim Janey, President of the City Council, became Acting Mayor. |
| 2021- |
More details: Michelle Wu was sworn in as Mayor of Boston on November 16, 2021. |
History of the City Council
From 1822-1909, the Boston City Council was comprised of two bodies: the Board of Aldermen and the Common Council. Under the Charter of 1909, a new City Council was created with nine elected members. As of 1983, the City Council has thirteen members, including one each from nine districts and three at large.
NAMES OF MEMBERS
Major land acquisitions
Land acquisitionsTimeline:
By order of the Court of Assistants, March 9, 1636-37 (old style).
Timeline:
- Set off from Dorchester on March 6, 1804, by St. 1803, c. 111.
Timeline:
- Set off from Dorchester May 21, 1855, by St. 1855, c. 468.
Timeline:
- January 6, 1868, by St. 1867, c. 359
- Accepted September 9, 1867.
- Roxbury received its name by order of the Court of Assistants October 8, 1630 (old style).
- It was incorporated as a City March 12, 1846 by St. 1846, c. 95, accepted March 25, 1846.
Timeline:
- January 3, 1870, by St. 1869, c. 349
- Accepted June 22, 1869.
- Dorchester received its name by order of the Court of Assistants September 7, 1630 (old style).
Timeline:
- January 5, 1874, by St. 1873, c. 303
- Accepted October 7, 1873.
- Set off from Cambridge as the Town of Brighton February 24, 1807, by St. 1806, c. 65.
Timeline:
- January 5, 1874, by St. 1873, c. 286, accepted October 7, 1873.
- Settled July 4, 1629 (old style).
- It was incorporated as a city February 22, 1847, by St. 1847, c. 29, accepted March 10, 1847.
Timeline:
- January 5, 1874, by St. 1873, c. 314, accepted October 7, 1873.
- It was set off from Roxbury and incorporated as a town May 24, 1851, by St. 1851, c. 250.
Timeline:
- January 1, 1912, by St. 1911, c. 469, and 583, accepted November 7, 1911.
- It was incorporated as a town April 22, 1868.
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Still have questions? Contact:
Archives and Records Management
-
201 Rivermoor Street
West Roxbury, MA 02132
