The Mayor of Wilmington is the chief executive of the government of Wilmington, Delaware , as stipulated by the Charter. The current Mayor of Wilmington is Mike Purzycki .
First mayor Richard H. Bayard
20th mayor William G. Whiteley
Mayors of Wilmington, Delaware
Rank
Image
Mayor
Start
End
Party
Note
1
Richard Bayard [ 1]
1832
1834
Whig
Wilmington incorporated in 1832.
2
Nicholas Williamson
1834
1843
Whig
3
David C. Wilson
1843
1845
Whig
4
Alexander Porter
1845
1848
Whig
5
William Huffington
1848
1850
Democratic
6
Joshua Driver
1850
1851
7
Columbus Evans
1851
1852
Whig
Editor of the Delaware Republican .
8
William Hemphill Jones
1852
1853
First mayor elected by popular vote.
9
John Alderdice
1853
1854
Publisher of The Journal .
10
Heyward, James F.
1854
1855
11
William Wiggins
1855
1856
12
William Huffington
1856
1857
Democratic
Non-continuous terms.
13
George Sparks
1857
1858
14
Thomas Young
1858
1860
15
Vincent Glipin
1860
1863
16
John Turner
1863
1865
17
Joshua Maris
1865
1867
18
Joshua Valentine
1867
1872
19
Joshua Simms
1872
1875
Democratic
20
William G. Whiteley
1875
1878
Democratic
21
John Allmond
1878
1882
22
John Wales
1882
1885
Son of Senator John Wales .
23
Calvin Rhoads
1885
1891
Democratic
Choir director
Sandsbury Wiley
1891
1893
Republican
Term changed to two years, Saturday election in June.
E. G. Shortridge
1893
1894
Republican
Charles Jefferies
1895
?
Democratic
John Fahey
1899
?
Democratic
George Fisher
1903
1903
Charles Bird
1903
?
Democratic
Horace Wilson
1905
1907
Republican
Harrison Howell
1911
1915
Republican
John Lawson
1919
?
LeRoy Harvey
1921
1923?
Founded Wilmington Music School.
William Taylor
?
1925
Republican
Lost at Sea
George Forrest
1923
1931
First intern at Delaware Hospital.
Frank Sparks
1931
1933
Republican
William Speer
1933
1935
Democratic
Walter Bacon
1935
1940
Republican
Resigned when elected Governor .
Albert James
1941
1944
Republican
Filled term of Gov. Bacon.
Thomas Herlihy
1945
1946
Republican
Resigned when appointed Chief Judge of Municipal Court.
Joseph Wilson
1947
1949
Republican
James Hearn
1949
1953
Republican
August Walz
1954
1955
Republican
47
Eugene Lammot
1957
1960
Democratic
Resigned when elected Lt. Gov . Election Tues. in Nov.
48
John Baribarz
1961
1969
Democratic
1968 Occupation
49
Harry Haskell [ 2]
1969
1973
Republican
50
Thomas Maloney
1973
1977
Democratic
51
William McLaughlin
1977
1984
Democratic
52
Daniel Frawley
1985
1993
Democratic
Stadium named after.
53
James Sills [ 3]
1993
2001
Democratic
First African American Mayor
54
James Baker
2001
2013
Democratic
First 3-Term Mayor with 4-year terms
55
Dennis Williams
2013
2017
Democratic
Served in the Delaware House of Representatives
56
Mike Purzycki [ 4]
2017
Currently Serving
Democratic
Spearheaded successful Riverfront redevelopment
Chief Burgesses of Wilmington, Delaware
Rank
Chief Burgess
Year
Note
1
Shipley, William
1739
William Penn granted charter on November 16, 1739.
2
Way, Joseph
1742
3
Shipley, William
1743
2nd non-consecutive term.
4
Hannum, Robert
1744
5
Peters, Joseph
1745
6
Stapler, John
1748
Stapler Park named after
7
Few, James
1750
8
Littler, Joshua
1751
9
Stapler, John
1752
2nd non-consecutive term.
10
Littler, Joshua
1753
2nd non-consecutive term.
11
Littler, Joshua
1754
3rd term.
12
Dawes, Edward
1755
13
Stapler, John
1756
3rd non-consecutive term.
14
Gilpin, Thomas
1757
15
Stapler, John
1758
4th non-consecutive term.
16
McKinly, John
1759
17
Dawes, Edward
1762
18
Lea, John
1764
Lea Blvd. named after.
19
Way, Joseph
1765
20
McKinly, John
1767
21
Bennet, Joseph
1770
Bennet Street named after.
22
McKinly, John
1771
23
Robinson, Nicholas
1774
24
McKinly, John
1775
25
Bennett, Joseph
1777
26
Stidham, Joseph
1778
27
Broom, Jacob
1783
Broom Street named after.
28
Kean, Thomas
1784
29
Broom, Jacob
1785
30
Gibbson, James
1786
31
Way, Thomas
1788
32
Shallcross, Joseph
1790
Shallcross Avenue named after.
33
Bush, David
1792
34
Broom, Jacob
1794
35
Brynberg, Peter
1796
36
Warner, Joseph
1798
37
Tilton, Hehemiah
1799
38
Brobson, James
1801
39
Hendrickson, Isaac
1802
40
Brobson, James
1803
41
Lea, James
1806
42
Dixon, Isaac
1807
43
Brobson, James
1808
^ Noonan, Kevin (March 21, 2017). "Your Ultimate Guide to First State National Historical Park" . Delaware Today . Retrieved March 11, 2024 .
^ Affo, Marina (January 17, 2020). "Former Wilmington mayor and congressmen Hal Haskell dies at 98" . The News Journal . Retrieved March 11, 2024 .
^ "Wilmington honors former mayor with bridge dedication" . Delaware Public Media . July 14, 2014. Retrieved March 11, 2024 .
^ Read, Zoë (January 4, 2017). "Mike Purzycki sworn in as mayor of Wilmington" . Philadelphia, PA: WHYY-TV . Retrieved March 11, 2024 .