The following is a list of mayors of

Providence, Rhode Island Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay ...

. Originally the term for the mayor was one year, from June to June. In 1873, the term was lengthened to January, and then from January to January. In 1913, the term was lengthened to two years, and in January 1967 to four years. {, class="wikitable sortable" ! # !! Image !! Name !! Term !! Party , - , 1 , Samuel Willard Bridgham, mayor of Providence

Samuel Willard Bridgham, mayor of Providence

, Samuel W. Bridgham , June 1832–December 28, 1840 , Whig , - , 2 , Thomas-m-burgess-providence-mayor

, Thomas M. Burgess , February 2, 1841–June 1852 , Whig , - , 3 , Providence mayor Amos Barstow engraving

, Amos C. Barstow , June 1852–June 1853 , Whig , - , 4 , Providence mayor Walter R

, Walter R. Danforth , June 1853–June 1854 ,

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

, - , 5 , Providence Mayor Edward Knowles engraving

, Edward P. Knowles , June 1854–June 1855 , Whig , - , 6 , GovJamesYSmithRI

James Y. Smith James Youngs Smith (September 15, 1809 – March 26, 1876) was an American politician and the 29th Governor of Rhode Island (May 26, 1863 – May 29, 1866). Early life Smith was born in Poquonock Village in Groton, Connecticut, to Amos D. Smith ...

, June 1855–June 1857 , Republican , - , 7 ,

, William M. Rodman , June 1857–June 1859 ,

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

, - , 8 , Jabez Comstock Knight mayor of Providence

, Jabez C. Knight , June 1859–June 1864 , Republican , - , 9 , Thomas A Doyle Mayor of Providence Official Portrait

, Thomas A. Doyle , June 1864–June 1869 , Republican , - , 10 , George L Clarke Mayor of Providence

, George L. Clarke , June 1869–June 1870 , Republican , - , 11 , Thomas A Doyle Mayor of Providence Official Portrait

, Thomas A. Doyle , June 1870–June 1881 , Republican , - , 12 , William Hayward mayor of Providence

William S. Hayward William S. Hayward (February 26, 1835 – November 5, 1900) was an American banker, baker, and politician who served as mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, from 1881 until 1884. Early life Hayward was "born and reared a poor boy" in Foster, ...

, January 1881–January 1884 , Republican , - , 13 , Thomas A Doyle Mayor of Providence Official Portrait

, Thomas A. Doyle , January 1884–June 9, 1886 , Republican , - , 14 ,

, Gilbert F. Robbins , June 9, 1886–January 1889 , Republican , - , 15 , Henry Rodman Barker Mayor of Providence

, Henry R. Barker , January 1889–January 1891 , Republican , - , 16 , Charles Sydney Smith halftone

Charles Sydney Smith Charles Sydney Smith (26 January 1879 – 6 April 1951) was born in Wigan, the ninth of eleven children born to Thomas Smith and Elizabeth née Sayer. He was a British water polo player who competed as goalkeeper for the England Wa ...

, January 1891–January 1892 , Republican , - , 17 , William Knight Potter mayor of Providence-2

William Knight Potter William Knight Potter (December 27, 1844 – August 13, 1914) was a businessman and the 17th Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, 1892-1894. Early life William was born December 27, 1844, in New York City and spent his early years there. His fathe ...

, January 1892–January 1894 ,

, - , 18 , Frank F

Frank F. Olney Frank Fuller Olney (March 12, 1851 – October 24, 1903) was the 18th mayor of Providence, Rhode Island. He served from 1894 until 1896. Personal life Frank Olney was born March 12, 1851, in Jersey City, New Jersey to Elam Ward Olney and Helen Fu ...

, January 1894–January 1896 , Republican , - , 19 , Mayor Edwin D McGuinness

Edwin D. McGuinness Edwin Daniel McGuinness (17 May 1856 – 21 April 1901) was Providence's first Irish Catholic mayor. Personal life Edwin Daniel McGuinness was born in Providence, Rhode Island, on May 17, 1856, son of Bernard McGuinness and Mary Higgins, both Ir ...

, January 6, 1896–January 3, 1898 ,

, - , 20 , William-c-baker-mayor-providence

, William C. Baker , January 1898–January 1901 ,

, - , 21 , DLDGranger

Daniel L. D. Granger Daniel Larned Davis Granger (May 30, 1852 – February 14, 1909) was a U.S. Representative from Rhode Island and mayor of Providence, Rhode Island. Early and personal life Granger was born May 30, 1852 in Providence, Rhode Island, to Dr. James N ...

, January 1901–January 1903 ,

, - , 22 ,

, Augustus S. Miller , January 1903–September 26, 1905 ,

, - , 23 , Elisha Dyer Jr RI Governor

Elisha Dyer, Jr. Elisha Dyer Jr. (November 29, 1839November 29, 1906) was a Rhode Island politician who was 45th Governor of Rhode Island from 1897 to 1900. He was the son of Elisha Dyer, Governor of Rhode Island from 1857 to 1859. Early life Dyer was born in ...

, January 1906–November 29, 1906 , Republican , - , 24 ,

, Patrick J. McCarthy , January 1907–January 1909 , Democratic , - , 25 , Henry Fletcher Providence Mayor

, Henry Fletcher , January 1909–January 1913 , Republican , - , 26 , Joseph Gainer Providence mayor

, Joseph H. Gainer , January 1913–January 1927 , Democratic , - , 27 , No image

James E. Dunne James Edward Dunne (October 3, 1882 – February 28, 1942) was mayor of Providence, Rhode Island for twelve years (six two-year terms), from January 1927 to January 1939. He was mayor during both the Great Depression and the Hurricane of 1938. ...

, January 1927–January 1939 , Democratic , - , 28 , John F

John F. Collins John Frederick Collins (July 20, 1919 – November 23, 1995) was an American lawyer who served as the mayor of Boston from 1960 to 1968. Collins was a lawyer who served in the Massachusetts Legislature from 1947 to 1955. He and his children cau ...

, January 2, 1939–January 6, 1941 , Republican , - , 29 , RI Governor Dennis Joseph Roberts

, Dennis J. Roberts , January 1941–January 1951 , Democratic , - , 30 , Providence mayor Walter Reynolds

Walter H. Reynolds Walter H. "Barney" Reynolds (January 22, 1901 – April 7, 1987), was an American politician who served seven consecutive terms as 30th Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, totaling fourteen years of service. He served from 1951 until 1965. Early ...

, January 1951–January 5, 1965 , Democratic , - , 31 ,

, Joseph A. Doorley, Jr. , January 5, 1965–January 6, 1975 , Democratic , - , 32 , Mayor Cianci (1)

, Vincent "Buddy" Cianci , January 7, 1975–April 25, 1984 , Republican (1974-1982)

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

(1982-1984) , - , 33 ,

, Joseph R. Paolino , April 25, 1984–January 7, 1991 , Democratic , - , 34 , Buddy Cianci 4 July 2009 Bristol RI (1)

, Vincent "Buddy" Cianci , January 7, 1991–September 6, 2002 ,

, - , 35 , No image

John J. Lombardi John J. Lombardi (born April 30, 1952) is an American Democratic politician from Providence, Rhode Island. As President of the Providence City Council, he served as acting mayor for four months between the conviction of Buddy Cianci and the ele ...

, September 6, 2002–January 6, 2003 , Democratic , - , 36 , David Cicilline, Official Portrait, 112th Congress 2

, David Cicilline , January 6, 2003–January 3, 2011 , Democratic , - , 37 , Angel Taveras headshot

, Angel Taveras , January 3, 2011–January 5, 2015 , Democratic , -{{Party shading/Democratic , 38 , Providence mayor Jorge Elorza

Jorge Elorza Jorge O. Elorza (born November 24, 1976) is an American law professor and mayor of Providence, Rhode Island. He defeated former mayor Buddy Cianci in the 2014 mayoral election and on January 5, 2015, was sworn in as mayor of the city. Early lif ...

, January 5, 2015–present , Democratic

Sources

Mayors of the Town of Cumberland at Cityof.ProvidenceRI.com

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Political Graveyard The Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 277,000 American political figures and political families, along with other information. The name comes from the website's inclusion of burial locations of ...

) *

See also

Sources