Office
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FORMER MAYORS OF AUSTIN, MINNESOTA We are looking for pictures and information on six former mayors:
The pictures of the mayors of Austin will be put up on the wall outside of Council Chambers. There have been 38 mayors starting in 1868, and we have pictures of all but the six listed above. Austin started with a mayor (G.M. Cameron) and three aldermen 130 years ago. In 1871, the village charter was changed, and the City no longer had a mayor but six aldermen were elected and they chose one of their members to serve as council president. The municipality of Austin became a city in 1873, and the governing body became a city council. The charter was also amended give each of the three wards three aldermen. The office of the mayor was restored in 1876 and the number of aldermen reduced to two from each of the three wards, and in 1887 the new charter provided for an alderman-at-large but only one alderman from each ward. In 1904, another new charter established our present system of mayor, alderman-at-large (now known as council member-at-large) and two aldermen (now known as council members) from each of the three wards. There are six former mayors of Austin who are still living:
It is a real privilege to work with Shirley DeYoung of the Mower County Historical Society and Esther Plehal, daughter of the former mayor H.J. Marcusen (1933-38), on this fun project. If you have a picture or any information on the six mayors listed at the beginning of this article, if you have any questions or if you would like to make a financial donation to this project, please call Shirley DeYoung (507-437-6082) or myself (507-437-9965). It is most fascinating to look back at our 130 years of history here in the City of Austin, Minnesota! Updated 6/10/98 dstewart@austin-mn.com |