William Thacher Longstreth (January 1, 1920April 11, 2003) was a Republican member of the

Philadelphia City Council The Philadelphia City Council, the legislative body of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, consists of ten members elected by district and seven members elected at-large. The council president is elected by the members from among their number. Each ...

who was perhaps best known for his long tenure and unique image. Longstreth, a graduate of Princeton University, was an eighth-generation Philadelphian born to Quakers William Collins (b. 1882) and Nella ( Thacher) Longstreth, who married in 1917. William C. Longstreth owned the Longstreth Motor Car Company and his family lived in Haverford, Pennsylvania, and was affluent until the Wall Street Crash of 1929. Thacher was a cousin of President Herbert Hoover and his maternal grandmother, Ella Hoover Thacher was the president of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union for many years. In 1970, he led the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and spearheaded the drive to hold the annual Earth Day commemoration in Philadelphia. That event became one of the biggest Earth Day events in the nation. He was also instrumental in the creation of the Greater Delaware Valley Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. He was predeceased by his half sister, Nella Cameron Downward (1913-1997). His younger brother, Frank Hoover Longstreth (b. 1922) died in 2008. He was a two-time Republican nominee for

Mayor of Philadelphia The mayor of Philadelphia is the chief executive of the government of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as stipulated by the Charter of the City of Philadelphia. The current mayor of Philadelphia is Jim Kenney. History The first mayor of Philadelphia, ...

, first in 1955, losing to

Richardson Dilworth Richardson K. Dilworth (August 29, 1898 – January 23, 1974) was an American Democratic Party politician who served as the 91st mayor of Philadelphia from 1956 to 1962. He twice ran as the Democratic nominee for governor of Pennsylvania, in 1 ...

, and again in 1971, losing to Frank Rizzo. He was initially elected to Philadelphia's City Council in 1967, resigning his seat to run for Mayor in 1971. While a member of City Council, he served as a sideline reporter on Philadelphia Eagles radio broadcasts on

WIP WIP or WiP may refer to: Political parties * Wildrose Independence Party of Alberta, a political party in Alberta, Canada * Western Independence Party of Manitoba, a former Canadian provincial political party * Western Independence Party of Sas ...

in 1969 and 1970. Longstreth was again elected to Council in 1983, defeating incumbent councilwoman

Beatrice Chernock Beatrice Kravistsky Chernock (May 30, 1908December 13, 1994) was an American educator and politician. She was a member of the Republican Party and served on the Philadelphia City Council from 1972 to 1984. Career Education and media Chernock gr ...

for the at-large seat he had vacated twelve years earlier to run for Mayor. He would remain in office until his death. During his tenure on Council, Longstreth helped support the efforts of

Edmund Bacon Edmund Bacon may refer to: *Sir Edmund Bacon, 2nd Baronet, of Redgrave (c. 1570–1649), English MP for Eye and for Norfolk in 1593 and 1625 *Sir Edmund Bacon, 2nd Baronet, of Gillingham (c. 1660–1683), see Bacon baronets *Sir Edmund Bacon, 4th B ...

to bring an urban renaissance to Philadelphia. He was also well known for wearing bow ties and argyle socks. He suffered from Parkinson's disease, and died of a pulmonary embolism while on vacation in Naples, Florida.

References

External links

* (archived)
City of Philadelphia Archives
, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Longstreth, Thacher 1920 births 2003 deaths People from Haverford Township, Pennsylvania Haverford School alumni Princeton University alumni United States Navy personnel of World War II United States Navy officers American Quakers Pennsylvania Republicans Philadelphia City Council members 20th-century American politicians Deaths from pulmonary embolism