History of the Mayor’s Office

According to local historian Margaret Manor Butler in her book, History of the City of Lakewood, what is now known as “Lakewood” roughly conforms to what was once known as Rockport Township, later organized into the Hamlet of Lakewood so that its citizens, “might make improvements and provide conveniences for all its citizens through the wishes of the majority.” The citizens’ request to incorporate and a charter were granted on August 31, 1889, and Mayor Ira E. Canfield held the title of Mayor from 1889 until 1891. His official title was president of the board of trustees and chief executive officer of the hamlet, in which capacity he served for three years.

PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES (MAYOR), HAMLET OF LAKEWOOD:

IRA E. CANFIELD 1889-1891

CLAYTON L. TYLER 1892-1897

OTTO C. BERCHTOLD 1898-1899

JACAB H. TEGARDINE 1900-1901

Under the control and supervision of hamlet officials, Mayor Clayton Tyler directed the installation of major improvements, including a water system, sewers and electric lights. During Mayor Tyler’s six years in office – 1892 through 1897 — he also established Lakewood’s boulevard system. On May 4, 1903, the Hamlet of Lakewood was organized into a village, boasting about 2,500 inhabitants. Mayor Joseph J. Rowe bridged the transition, serving as Mayor from 1902 until 1905

OFFICE OF MAYOR, VILLAGE OF LAKEWOOD:

JOSEPH J. ROWE 1902-1905

BERNARD MILLER 1906-1909

The Village of Lakewood grew to a citizenship of about 12,000 by Jan. 1, 1910, when it was organized into the City of Lakewood. The incorporation date was February 17, 1911. The first Mayor of the City of Lakewood was Nelson C. Cotabish, a large property holder in Lakewood and head of the sales department of the National Carbon Company. In 1910, Mayor Cotabish approved the acquisition of the first motor-driven fire equipment in northeast Ohio. An astute businessman, he also arranged for the City to buy a home at Warren Road and Detroit Avenue to serve as City Hall, selling 100 feet of this site a few years later for a profit of $40,500, almost three times the total purchase price of the property.

OFFICE OF MAYOR, CITY OF LAKEWOOD:

NELSON C. COTABISH 1910-1911

JOHN B. COFFINBERRY 1912-1913

CLAYTON W. TYLER 1914-1917

BYRON M. COOK 1918-1919

LOUIS E. HILL 1920-1923

EDWARD A. WIEGAND 1924-1932

AMOS I. KAUFFMAN 1932-1955

FRANK P. CELESTE 1956-1963

ROBERT M. LAWTHER 1964-1976

WILLIAM E. BLACKIE 1977

ANTHONY C. SINAGRA 1978-1990

DAVID R. HARBARGER 1990-1995

MADELINE A. CAIN 1996-2003

THOMAS J. GEORGE 2004-2007

EDWARD FITZGERALD 2008-2010

MICHAEL P. SUMMERS 2011-2019

MEGHAN F. GEORGE 2020-