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List of mayors of La Crosse, Wisconsin

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La Crosse City Hall

This is a list of mayors of La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA. La Crosse was originally incorporated as a village in 1851. In the 9th Wisconsin Legislature (1856), La Crosse was re-incorporated as a city. La Crosse has always since then utilized a mayor-council form of government. Mayors were initially elected every year. Mayoral terms were increased to two years in 1885, and extended to four years in 1981.

The first mayor of La Crosse was Thomas Benton Stoddard, a pioneer lawyer and railroad developer. The current mayor is Shaundel Washington-Spivey, a former member of the La Crosse School Board. Washington-Spivey is also La Crosse's first black mayor and first LGBTQ mayor.[1] Patrick Zielke was the longest-serving mayor, holding office from 1975 to 1997.

Village presidents (1851–1856)

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Mayors with 1-year term (1856–1885)

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Thomas Benton Stoddard, first mayor of La Crosse.
Gysbert Van Steenwyk Sr., 15th mayor.
Gilbert M. Woodward, 16th mayor.
Order Mayor Term start Term end Notes
1 Thomas Benton Stoddard 1856 1857 [2]
2 Erasmus D. Campbell 1857 1858 [2]
3 David Taylor 1858 1859 [2]
4 James I. Lyndes 1859 1860 [2]
5 John M. Levy 1860 1861 [2]
6 Wilson Colwell 1861 1862 [2]
7 Albert W. Pettibone 1862 1865 [2]
8 William J. Lloyd 1865 1866 [2]
9 John M. Levy 1866 1868 [2]
10 Theodore Rodolf 1868 1869 [2]
11 Charles. L. Colman 1869 1870 [2]
12 Theodore Rodolf 1870 1871 [2]
13 Alexander McMillan 1871 1872 [2]
14 James I. Lyndes 1872 1873 [2]
15 Gysbert Van Steenwyk Sr. 1873 1874 [2]
16 Gilbert M. Woodward 1874 1875 [2]
17 James J. Hogan 1875 1877 [2]
18 George Edwards 1877 1878 [2]
19 David Law 1878 1880 [2]
20 Joseph Clark 1880 1881 [2]
21 Hiram F. Smiley 1881 1882 [2]
22 David Law 1882 1884 [2]
23 William A. Roosevelt 1884 1885 [2]

Mayors with 2-year term (1885–1981)

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David Franklin Powell, 24th & 28th mayor.
Order Mayor Term start Term end Notes
24 David Franklin Powell 1885 1887 [2]
25 David Austin 1887 1889 [2]
26 John Dengler 1889 1891 [2]
27 Frederick A. Copeland 1891 1893 [2]
28 David Franklin Powell 1893 1897 [2]
29 James McCord 1897 1899 [2]
30 Wendell Abraham Anderson 1899 1901 [2]
31 Joseph Boschert 1901 1903 [2]
32 William Torrance 1903 1907 [2]
33 Wendell Abraham Anderson 1907 1909
34 Ori J. Sorenson 1909 1911 [3]
35 John Denger 1911 1913
36 Ori J. Sorenson 1913 1915
37 Arthur A. Bentley 1915 1923 [4]
38 Joseph J. Verchota 1923 1929
39 John E. Langdon 1929 1931
40 Joseph J. Verchota 1931 1935
41 Carl August Boerner 1935 1939
42 Joseph J. Verchota 1939 1947
43 Charles A. Beranek 1947 1949
44 Henry J. Ahrens 1949 1955
45 Milo Knutson 1955 1965 [5]
46 Warren Loveland 1965 1971 Elected 1965, 1967, 1969.
Lost 1971 election.[6]
47 W. Peter Gilbertson 1971 1975 Elected 1971, 1973.
Lost 1975 election.[7]
48 Patrick Zielke 1975 1981 Elected 1975, 1977, 1979.[8]

Mayors with 4-year term (1981–present)

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At the November 1980 general election, La Crosse voters agreed to a referendum to increase the mayoral term from two years to four years.[9]

Order Mayor Term start Term end Notes
48 Patrick Zielke 1981 1997 Elected 1981, 1985, 1989, 1993. Retired.
First mayor to win seven terms.
Longest-serving mayor.[10]
49 John Medinger 1997 2005 Elected 1997, 2001. Retired.
50 Mark Johnsrud 2005 2009 Elected 2005. Lost 2009 primary.[11]
51 Mathias Harter 2009 2013 Elected 2009.
Youngest mayor (24 when elected).
52 Tim Kabat 2013 2021 Elected 2013, 2017. Retired.[12]
53 Mitch Reynolds 2021 2025 Elected 2021. Retired.[13]
54 Shaundel Washington-Spivey 2025 present Elected 2025.
First black mayor.
First LGBTQ mayor.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "BREAKING: Shaundel Washington-Spivey wins Mayor of La Crosse race". WXOW. April 1, 2025. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af Bryant, Benjamin F., ed. (1907). Memoirs of La Crosse County. Western Historical Association. pp. 200, 201. Retrieved April 25, 2025 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
  3. ^ Usher, Ellis Baker (1914). Wisconsin: Its Story and Biography, 1848–1913, Vol. 6. Chicago: Lewis publishing Company. p. 1418.
  4. ^ "Photographers of Fargo – Exhibition – A. A. Bentley". Institute for Regional Studies, North Dakota State University. 2001.
  5. ^ "Milo Knutson, former senator dies". The Milwaukee Journal, March 22, 1981, p. 14.
  6. ^ "Voters Oust Mayor at La Crosse". The Milwaukee Journal, April 7, 1971, p. 13.
  7. ^ "Gilbertson Upsets Mayor Loveland; 3 Aldermen Ousted". La Crosse Tribune. April 7, 1971. p. 1. Retrieved April 25, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Rosso, Jerome R. (April 2, 1975). "Zielke is Elected Mayor". La Crosse Tribune. p. 1. Retrieved April 25, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Smalley, John (November 5, 1980). "City voters approve 4-year mayoral term". La Crosse Tribune. p. 26. Retrieved April 25, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "A North-Sider is elected mayor: It only took 128 years". www.tmcnet.com.
  11. ^ "Johnsrud Out". La Crosse Tribune. February 18, 2009. p. 1. Retrieved April 25, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ 'Swantz elected Common Council President,' La Crosse Tribune. April 16, 2013.
  13. ^ Herken, Olivia (April 20, 2021). "Mayor Reynolds, new city council with female majority officially take office". La Crosse Tribune. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
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