The Header Photo and the Photo Below show the portraits of Petoskey's mayors on the wall in the Petoskey City Hall.
Northern Mich~Mash Preserve
MAYORS (& Presidents)
OF PETOSKEY
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Most posted items will enlarge by "clicking" on them.
"Clicking" on some color highlighted words may access additional information.
Most posted items will enlarge by "clicking" on them.
"Clicking" on some color highlighted words may access additional information.
Please do not copy the photos on this site, many of which have been submitted by private individuals...
just come back and visit the site often to view the photos.
just come back and visit the site often to view the photos.
Obituary Below: Peter L. Seifert in the building and contractor trade, built the Petoskey City Hall,
as well as other public buildings and numerous residences in the city and at Bay View.
as well as other public buildings and numerous residences in the city and at Bay View.
1937
This 1937 Public Works Building shown above became the City Hall Building as seen in the photo below.
~ Petoskey City Hall at 101 Lake Street, Petoskey, Michigan ~
An explanation under an advertisement for the First National Bank & Trust (1878~1978) in the Petoskey News Review printed:
"The idea for establishing a formal government in the area known as Petoskey began in 1878, the same year First National Bank was founded. A committee of local civic leaders was organized to make the proper applications for village status.
In February of 1879, the Michigan State Legislature approved their application and Petoskey became a village. H.O. Rose was the FIRST Village President.
In 1884 William L. Curtis, President of the local bank, became President of the Village.
The village prospered during the period, and finally, on March 1, 1895, the Michigan State Legislature passed a bill incorporating Petoskey as a City. Shortly thereafter, James Buckley, who had served as postmaster, was elected the first Mayor of Petoskey."
"The idea for establishing a formal government in the area known as Petoskey began in 1878, the same year First National Bank was founded. A committee of local civic leaders was organized to make the proper applications for village status.
In February of 1879, the Michigan State Legislature approved their application and Petoskey became a village. H.O. Rose was the FIRST Village President.
In 1884 William L. Curtis, President of the local bank, became President of the Village.
The village prospered during the period, and finally, on March 1, 1895, the Michigan State Legislature passed a bill incorporating Petoskey as a City. Shortly thereafter, James Buckley, who had served as postmaster, was elected the first Mayor of Petoskey."
When the village was still the Village of Bear Creek [not becoming the Village of Petoskey until 1879],
Photo Above: Dr. William Little was the acting president of the Village of Bear Creek.
The Littles were one of five white families in the Bear Creek settlement in 1873.
Photo Above: Dr. William Little was the acting president of the Village of Bear Creek.
The Littles were one of five white families in the Bear Creek settlement in 1873.
Village Presidents of Petoskey
~ 1879 to 1895 ~
1879-81 ~ Hiram O. Rose
1881-83 ~ Isaac DeGraff Toll
1883-84 ~ Charles J. Pailthorp
1884-85 ~ William L. Curtis
1885-86 ~ Philip B. Wachtel
1886-87 ~ Henry T. Calkins
1887-88 ~ David C. Page
1888-89 ~ Henry T. Calkins
1889-90 ~ John G. Hill
1890-92 ~ William W. Rice
1892-93 ~ James R. Wylie
1893-94 ~ William M. Everett
1894-95 ~ John R. Davis
1881-83 ~ Isaac DeGraff Toll
1883-84 ~ Charles J. Pailthorp
1884-85 ~ William L. Curtis
1885-86 ~ Philip B. Wachtel
1886-87 ~ Henry T. Calkins
1887-88 ~ David C. Page
1888-89 ~ Henry T. Calkins
1889-90 ~ John G. Hill
1890-92 ~ William W. Rice
1892-93 ~ James R. Wylie
1893-94 ~ William M. Everett
1894-95 ~ John R. Davis
The 8 October 1890 The Petoskey Record lightheartedly reported about the Celebration of German Day when Petoskey's President Rice was in office. Rice made a short address of welcome in chosen terms, and the response was by Mr. J. George Braun, president of the day who spoke both English and German. The city's ex-president Page (1887-88) gave a short and pertinent talk in English, followed by an address in German by Wolfgang Paulus, who called for three cheers for the American flag. Ottawa chief A.J. Blackbird, said told two good reasons why he should not address the audience. The first was no Indians were present, and nobody else could understand him; and the second was that he had prepared a speech on the landing of Christopher Columbus, and Blackbird learned after coming that it was the landing of the Germans, and not of Columbus, that was being celebrated, so his speech would not be appropriate.
Found record in an 1895 newspaper that Wm. L. McManus also served as president of the village one year, but the year was unspecified (see below). UPDATE from the obituary of Wm. L. McManus in 1922: "He was closely identified with city-growth and civic affairs of Petoskey, having been a member of the council for a number of years and was acting mayor, completing the term of W.W. Rice, deceased." In 1876 McManus moved to Petoskey and established the W.L. McManus Lumber company, with which business he was identified until 1921. In 1916 he moved to Miami, Florida, where he lived until he passed away in 1922.
PETOSKEY PRESIDENTS IN ORDER OF SERVICE
~ Rose ~
H.O. Rose was the FIRST president of Petoskey. He platted Rosedale, Beaubine and Rose Street.
Bay View came into the picture when H.O. Rose donated his land
and the G.R.&I. Railroad and the Methodist Church got ideas for a permanent encampment.
Access additional information about H.O. Rose on this same web site by clicking HERE.
Bay View came into the picture when H.O. Rose donated his land
and the G.R.&I. Railroad and the Methodist Church got ideas for a permanent encampment.
Access additional information about H.O. Rose on this same web site by clicking HERE.
“H.O. Rose made his permanent home in Petoskey in 1872 after several previous business ventures in the area. He owned the FIRST general store and assisted wit the financing of the Arlington Hotel. But he is best known for his Rose’s Limestone Quarry and Lime Works at the Petoskey Waterfront, which produced all the plaster used in construction in the Little Traverse Bay area up until the late 1800s. As the FIRST village president, Rose convinced residents to call their town Petoskey, after his dear fried, Ignatius. Petoskey remembers him with Rose Street.” ~ ~ "11 August 2005, Reflections" supplement to the Petoskey News Review
~ Isaac DeGraff Toll ~
Click HERE to access additional information about I.D. Toll
posted on the "Area History" section of the Greenwood Cemetery web site.
Click HERE to access additional information about I.D. Toll
posted on the "Area History" section of the Greenwood Cemetery web site.
~ Curtis ~
~ Wachtel ~
Phillip B. Wachtel served as both a president of Petoskey as well as a mayor of Petoskey.
P.B. Wachtel was Petoskey's FIRST banker.
Information about Mr. Wachtel is shown farther below under the timeframe when he served as Petoskey's Mayor.
P.B. Wachtel was Petoskey's FIRST banker.
Information about Mr. Wachtel is shown farther below under the timeframe when he served as Petoskey's Mayor.
~ Calkins ~
(Dr. Calkins served as president of Petoskey both before, and after, David C. Page.)
(Dr. Calkins served as president of Petoskey both before, and after, David C. Page.)
Dr. Henry T. Calkins added to the community of Petoskey in various ways. He was one of nine citizens to whom Mr. William Lockwood gave property to establish a hospital; eventually Lockwood Hospital on Lockwood Avenue, Petoskey, Michigan. Dr. Calkins continued to sit on the board of the hospital for several years. Even while serving as Petoskey's President, in 1886 and again in 1888, Dr. Calkin served as a local physician and surgeon in the homes of patients and also as a railroad physician. Additional information on another web site created by the same web master as this Northern Mich~Mash Preserve web site, about the area medical topic may be accessed by clicking HERE.
~ Page ~
Article Below: President Page on 19 October 1887 approved a Petoskey Council passed ordinance providing for the FIRST numbering of houses in Petoskey.
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~ Caulkins ~
(President AGAIN... see above President Page)
(President AGAIN... see above President Page)
~ Hill ~
~ Rice ~
Following the death of W.W. Rice, the W.W. Rice Leather Company was formed by his heirs with his son George Rice as president. Additional information about the Rice Leather Company may be accessed on the Kegomic web page on this same site by clicking HERE.
~ Wylie ~
~ Everette ~
~ Davis ~
TOP
In 1916 the city adopted the city manager form of government.
Mayors of Petoskey
~ 1895 >
Accuracy NOT Verified...
1895 ~ James Buckley 1896 ~ Eugene L. Rose 1897 ~ Marion F. Quaintance 1898 ~ Eugene L. Rose 1899 ~ Myron L. Barber 1900 ~ Philip B. Wachtel 1901 ~ Eugene L. Rose 1902 ~ Eugene L. Rose 1903 ~ George E. Reycraft 1904 ~ Reuben M. Winston 1905 ~ George E. Reycraft 1906 ~ George E. Reycraft 1907 ~ George E. Reycraft 1908 ~ Dirk DeRuiter 1909 ~ John J. Reycraft 1910 ~ John J. Reycraft 1911 ~ William L. McManus, Jr. 1912 ~ Homer Sly 1913 ~ John J. Reycraft 1914 ~ Charles J. Ditto 1915 ~ Albert B. Klise 1916 ~ Albert B. Klise 1917 ~ Albert B. Klise 1918 ~ Albert B. Klise 1919 ~ Albert B. Klise 1920 ~ Albert B. Klise 1921 ~ John L.A. (Leon Adolf) Galster 1922 ~ John L.A. Galster 1922 ~ John L.A. Galster 1923 ~ John L.A. Galster 1924 ~ John L.A. Galster 1925 ~ William C. McCune 1926 ~ William C. McCune 1927 ~ William C. McCune 1928 ~ William C. McCune 1929 ~ Norman M. Risk 1930 ~ Norman M. Risk 1932 ~ D. Charles Levinson 1933 ~ D. Charles Levinson 1934 ~ D. Charles Levinson 1935 ~ Buell H. Van Leuven, Dr. 1936 ~ Buell H. Van Leuven, Dr. 1938 ~ Buell H. Van Leuven, Dr. 1939 ~ Arthur M. Hinkley 1940 ~ Arthur M. Hinkley 1941 ~ Arthur M. Hinkley 1942 ~ Arthur M. Hinkley 1943 ~ Emery O. Nyman [Nyman's obituary stated the year as 1942] 1944 ~ John H. Perry 1945 ~ John H. Perry 1946 ~ John H. Perry 1947 ~ John H. Perry 1948 ~ John H. Perry 1949 ~ John H. Perry 1950 ~ Emery O. Nyman 1951 ~ Emery O. Nyman 1952 ~ Emery O. Nyman 1953 ~ Emery O. Nyman 1954 ~ Emery O. Nyman [Nyman's obituary stated the years as 1950 through 1955] 1955 ~ Chester A. Crago [Crago's obituary stated the years as 1954-56] 1956 ~ Chester A. Crago 1957 ~ Chester A. Crago 1958 ~ Chester A. Crago 1959 ~ Donald Stark 1959-1960 ~ Elmer A. Pheiffer 1961 ~ N. Fletcher "Fletch" Johnson 1962 ~ N. Fletcher "Fletch" Johnson 1963 ~ N. Fletcher "Fletch" Johnson 1964 ~ N. Fletcher "Fletch" Johnson 1965 ~ N. Fletcher "Fletch" Johnson 1966 ~ N. Fletcher "Fletch" Johnson 1967 ~ N. Fletcher "Fletch" Johnson 1968 ~ N. Fletcher "Fletch" Johnson 1969 ~ N. Fletcher "Fletch" Johnson 1970 ~ Jim Gibson 1971 ~ Jim Gibson 1972 ~ Jim Gibson 1973 ~ Jim Gibson 1974 ~ Barbara A. Waters 1975 ~ Barbara A. Waters 1976 ~ Barbara A. Waters 1977 ~ Joe C. Kilborn 1978 ~ Joe C. Kilborn 1979 ~ Joe C. Kilborn 1980 ~ Joe C. Kilborn 1981 ~ Joe C. Kilborn 1982 ~ Joe C. Kilborn 1983 ~ Joe C. Kilborn 1984 ~ Joe C. Kilborn 1985 ~ Joe C. Kilborn 1986 ~ Joe C. Kilborn 1987 ~ Joe C. Kilborn 1988 ~ Joe C. Kilborn 1989 ~ Joe C. Kilborn 1990 ~ Herbert H. Carlson 1991 ~ Herbert H. Carlson 1992 ~ Joe C. Kilborn 1993 ~ Joe C. Kilborn 1994 ~ Jeremy Wills 1995 ~ Jeremy Wills 1996 ~ Jeremy Wills 1997 ~ Jeremy Wills 1998 ~ Jeremy Wills 1999 ~ Herbert H. Carlson 2000 ~ Kate Marshall 2001 ~ Kate Marshall 2002 ~ Kate Marshall 2003 ~ Jeremy Wills 2004 ~ Jeremy Wills 2005 ~ Ted Pall 2006 ~ Dale Meyer 2007 ~ Dale Meyer 2008 ~ Dale Meyer 2009 ~ Ted Pall 2010 ~ Ted Pall 2011 ~ Ted Pall 2012 ~ Bill Fraser 2013 ~ Bill Fraser 2014 ~ Bill Fraser 2015 ~ Bill Fraser 2016 ~ John Murphy 2017 ~ John Murphy 2018 ~ John Murphy 2019 ~ John Murphy 2020 ~ John Murphy 2021 ~ John Murphy 2022 ~ John Murphy 2023 ~ John Murphy |
Perhaps "Tongue in Cheek" Christian Mortenson was known as the "Mayor of Rosedale".
Rosedale is a community on Little Traverse Bay within the Petoskey City Limits.
Budget for Petoskey 100 Years Ago for 1916 = $36,850
(Budget for Petoskey for 2017 = $34.6 Million)
(Budget for Petoskey for 2017 = $34.6 Million)
~ Mayor to Sell "City of Petoskey" Horse ~
~ Mayor Investigates Dance ~
PETOSKEY MAYORS IN ORDER OF SERVICE
~ Buckley ~
FIRST Mayor of Petoskey
(And Founder of the Record newspaper)
FIRST Mayor of Petoskey
(And Founder of the Record newspaper)
Additional information about James Buckley may be accessed on this same web site regarding the old yellow house on the east end of the Mitchell Street Bridge, by clicking HERE. |
~ Quaintance ~
~ Barber ~
~ Wachtel ~
Philip B. Wachtel with his father John Wachtel in 1878 opened a bank at 426 East Mitchell Street, Petoskey, Michigan. The bank became Petoskey City Bank and in 1900 incorporated as First National Bank of Petoskey. In 2019, the bank has evolved into Chase Bank in the same location.
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~ Eugene L. Rose ~
(B. 1862 ~ D. 06/30/1942)
(Nephew of the late H.O. Rose, First President of Petoskey)
E.L. Rose served four terms as Mayor of Petoskey; one term in each... 1896, 1898, 1901, and 1902.
(B. 1862 ~ D. 06/30/1942)
(Nephew of the late H.O. Rose, First President of Petoskey)
E.L. Rose served four terms as Mayor of Petoskey; one term in each... 1896, 1898, 1901, and 1902.
~ George E. Reycraft, M.D. ~
George Reycraft served as Mayor of Petoskey
BOTH, one term before, and three terms after, Reuben M. Winston who served in 1904.
George served one term in each of 1903, 1905, 1906, and 1907.
His brother John Reycraft, M.D. also served as Mayor of Petoskey in following years.
BOTH, one term before, and three terms after, Reuben M. Winston who served in 1904.
George served one term in each of 1903, 1905, 1906, and 1907.
His brother John Reycraft, M.D. also served as Mayor of Petoskey in following years.
Article Below: Mayor George Reycraft's Annual Address to the Petoskey City Council in 1906 was filled with his mayoral suggestions. The suggestions were much as the needs and concerns of present day [2002] mayoral positions of addressing infrastructure of roads, sewage, parks, curbs, and, wires.
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~ Reuben M. Winston ~
~ Derk DeRuiter ~
The "Arlington Park G.A.R. web page" has information about Derk DeRuiter
on the "Charlevoix Emmet web site".
on the "Charlevoix Emmet web site".
~ John J. Reycraft, M.D. ~
John Reycraft served as Mayor of Petoskey in three terms; one term in each of 1909, 1910 and 1913.
John Reycraft served as Mayor of Petoskey in three terms; one term in each of 1909, 1910 and 1913.
~ McManus, Jr. ~
~ Sly ~
~ Ditto ~
Photo Below:
Charles J. Ditto, Mayor
Left Standing ~ Charles Miller
Seated Back ~ Ely
Seated Back ~ Halstead
Left Back Row: John Quinlen, Brockway, ?, Grimes
Left Front Row: Jay Bain, Burnham, Nixon, Bohm
Charles J. Ditto, Mayor
Left Standing ~ Charles Miller
Seated Back ~ Ely
Seated Back ~ Halstead
Left Back Row: John Quinlen, Brockway, ?, Grimes
Left Front Row: Jay Bain, Burnham, Nixon, Bohm
Petoskey's FIRST DOCTOR, Dr. William Little's wife Annie Little Kirkland
was a niece to Charles Ditto. |
Photo Below: The 1904 photo of Petoskey showing Michigan Street, with St. Francis School not yet built where the vacant land is showing. This is the corner of Michigan and Howard Streets. Petoskey looked like this when Charles J. Ditto took this photo in 1904, and ten years later he was the mayor of Petoskey.
Mrs. Edith Ditto's obituary stated that her husband had been the Petoskey mayor in 1916,
whereas Mr. Ditto's obituary above stated he had been mayor in 1914.
whereas Mr. Ditto's obituary above stated he had been mayor in 1914.
TOP
~ Klise ~
~ Galster ~
Galster ~ Biggest Contributor to Building the Petoskey Dock
1950
1950
~ McCune ~
Photo Above L>R: Esther Christopher, Mayor William G. McCune, Ruth Tripp (Queen),
Dorothy Van Every, Jane Edwards, Unknowns, with Edith Anderson far right...
Dorothy Van Every, Jane Edwards, Unknowns, with Edith Anderson far right...
~ Risk ~
Norm Risk was the FIRST "Democratic" mayor in Petoskey
(Served Three Terms)
Norm Risk was the FIRST "Democratic" mayor in Petoskey
(Served Three Terms)
~ Levinson ~
~ VanLeuven ~
~ Hinkley ~
~ Nyman ~
(Nyman served both before and after John H. Perry)
(Nyman served both before and after John H. Perry)
1942 Photo/Text Below: Acting Mayor E.O. Nyman participated in the bond and stamp sale campaign
by retail establishments during the WWII efforts.
by retail establishments during the WWII efforts.
~ Perry ~
~ Crago ~
~ Stark ~
Article Right: Questions about Stark being mayor after he was already elected revolved around him holding a state liquor license due to owning IGA Foodling in Petoskey where beer and wine required a takeout license. Mr. Stark did serve one year as Petoskey's mayor.
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~ Pfeiffer ~
~ Johnson ~
~ Gibson ~
~ Waters ~
~ Kilborn ~
(Kilborn served both before and after Carlson)
(Kilborn served both before and after Carlson)
~ Carlson ~
~ Marshall ~
~ Wills ~
~ Pall ~
~ Meyer~
~ Fraser ~
~ Murphy ~