People: Issaquah’s Mayors
This information was prepared by Issaquah’s city clerk Linda Ruehle in 2000 and updated by the Issaquah History Museums staff. At the time she submitted the information, Ruehle said “It’s official, correct (researched to death), and final!”
Questions about who had been the town’s mayor at what time arose after Ruehle discovered that neither the city’s list of mayors nor the museums’ included Frank Day. Further investigation revealed that the mayoral photos on display at City Hall also included some incorrect dates.
The town of Gilman was first incorporated on April 27, 1892. Until the year 1918, Mayors served two-year terms. The town’s name was officially changed to Gilman in February of 1899. Issaquah became a 3rd class city in 1959, and a Code City in 1972.
Terms
1. Frank W. Harrell
Apr 27, 1892–January 10, 1893
2. P. V. Davis
January 10, 1893–January 8, 1895
3. John Davis
January 8, 1895–January 12, 1897
4. John L. Hughes
January 12, 1897–January 10, 1899
5. Henry Hunter
Jan 10, 1899–Aug 7, 1899 (resigned midterm)
6. W. D. “Will” Conner
Sept 5, 1899–January 3, 1900 (filled unexpired term)
7. John McQuade
Jan 3, 1900–Apr 27, 1900 (resigned midterm)
8. William Elry Gibson
Apr 27, 1900–Jan 8, 1901 (filled unexpired term; re-elected to two more terms)
9. Hiram R. Corson
Jan 8, 1901–Jan 10, 1905 (served two terms)
10. Frank Day
Jan 10, 1905–June 4, 1906 (resigned midterm)
11. William Elry Gibson
June 4, 1906–Jan 14, 1913
12. Peter J. Smith
1913–1915
13. John H. Gibson
1915–1917
14. Clarence R. Berry
1917–1918
15. Peter J. Smith
1918–1921
16.William Elry Gibson
1921–1924
17. V. M. McKibben
1924–1925
18. Peter J. Smith
1926–1928
19. John Fischer
1928–1930
20. LeRoy Hepler
1930–1932
21. Stella May Alexander (recalled from office)
1932–1934
22. Laurence J. Harris
1934–1937
23. William Mitchell
1937–1940
24. Thomas Gibson
1940–1947
25. Albert Jensen
1947–1948
26. Remo Castagno
1948–1952
27. Alting R. “Buck” Lee
1952–1956
28. James Wm. “Bill” Flintoft (second-longest serving Mayor in Issaquah’s history)
1956–1970
29. Keith M. Hansen
1970–1974
30. Herbert G. Herrington
1974–1981
31. A.J. Culver
1982–1989
32. Rowan C. Hinds
1990–1997
33. Ava MacDougall Frisinger (longest serving Mayor in Issaquah’s history)
1998–2013
34. Fred Butler
2014-2017
35. Mary Lou Pauly
2018-
James William “Bill” Flintoft: Accidental Mayor
/in Mayors /by IssqErica1956–1970
William Mitchell
/in Law and Order, Mayors /by IssqEricaServed as Mayor 1938-1940
Served as Town Marshal in 1923
Peter J. Smith
/in Law and Order, Mayors /by IssqEricaServed as Mayor 1918–1921 1913–1915 1926–1928
Served as Town Marshal until 1920
Peter Vroom Davis
/in Mayors, People /by IssqErica1921–1924
Dr. W. E. Gibson
/in Mayors, People /by IssqErica1900–1901 1906–1913 1921–1924
John McQuade
/in Mayors /by IssqErica1900–1900
Frank W. Harrell
/in Mayors, People /by IssqErica1892–1893