Mayor of Fort Worth, Texas


This is a list of mayors who served the city of Fort Worth, Texas, USA.
TermImageMayorPolitical affiliationDuration of termInformation
1stWilliam Paxton Burts17 February 1873 - 29 October 1874The first mayor of Fort Worth after its incorporation as a mayor-council government and the second practicing physician in the area. Resigned in 1874 amid controversy about debt handling and a city deficit.
2ndG.H. Day10 November 1874 - 8 August 1878
3rdR.E. Beckham8 August 1878 - 12 April 1880
4thJohn T. Brown12 April 1880 - 11 April 1882
5thJohn Peter Smith11 April 1882 - 20 April 1886First stint. Largest landowner in Fort Worth at the time. Successfully petitioned to have the Tarrant County seat moved from Birdville to Fort Worth. As mayor, established Fort Worth's first water department and first public school system, on which he served as a board member. Died in 1901 in St. Louis while promoting the city due to blood poisoning sustained in an assault and robbery outside his hotel.
6thH.S. Broiles20 April 1886 - 8 April 1890
7thW.S. Pendleton8 April 1890 - 5 August 1890
8thJohn Peter Smith5 August 1890 - 12 April 1892Second stint.
9thB.B. Paddock12 April 1892 - 10 April 1900
10thT.J. Powell10 April 1900 - 10 April 1906
11thW.D. Harris10 April 1906 - 13 April 1909
12thW.D. Williams13 April 1909 - 27 April 1909
13thW.D. Davis1 June 1909 - 15 April 1913
14thR.F. Milam15 April 1913 - 15 April 1915
15thE.T. Tyra16 April 1915 - 16 April 1917
16thW.D. Davis16 April 1917 - 16 April 1921
17thE.R. Cockrell16 April 1921 - 8 October 1924
18thW.P. Burton8 October 1924 - 15 April 1925
19thHenry Clay Meacham15 April 1925 - 12 April 1927
20thWilliam Bryce12 April 1927 - 20 December 1933
21stVan Zandt Jarvis20 December 1933 - 7 April 1937
22ndW.J. Hammond8 April 1937 - 11 May 1938
23rdR.H.W. Drechsel11 May 1938 - 27 July 1938
24thT.J. Harrell27 July 1938 - 19 June 1940
25thI.N. McCrary17 July 1940 - 4 April 1945
26thRoscoe L. Carnrike4 April 1945 - 8 April 1947
27thF. Edgar Deen9 April 1947 - 6 April 1951First stint. One of two Fort Worth mayors to serve more than once, nonconsecutively.
28thJ.R. Edwards6 April 1951 - 22 April 1953
29thF. Edgar Deen22 April 1953 - 6 April 1955Second stint. One of two Fort Worth mayors to serve more than once, nonconsecutively.
30thF.E. "Jack" Garrison20 April 1955 - 2 April 1957
31stThomas A. McCann2 April 1957 - 21 April 1961
32ndJohn S. Justin, Jr.21 April 1961 - 22 April 1963
33rdBayard H. Friedman22 April 1963 - 6 April 1965
34thWillard Barr6 April 1965 - 6 April 1967
35thDeWitt McKinley6 April 1967 - 9 April 1969*
36thR.M. "Sharkey" Stovall6 April 1969* - 14 April 1975Oversaw the construction of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and oversaw the vote to reform the City Council system to an all-single-member-district system, which occurred in 1977.
37thClif Overcash14 April 1975 - 5 April 1977City Councilman from 1973 - 1975. Had major support from the influential Tandy Corporation.
38thHugh Quay ParmerDemocratic5 April 1977 - 1 May 1979Previous Tarrant County Texas representative. After mayoralty, served as a Texas state senator from the 12th district.
39thWoodie WoodsRepublican1 May 1979 - 10 November 1981
-Richard Newkirk11 November 1981 - 1 February 1982Interim mayor.
40thBob BolenRepublican2 February 1982 - 21 May 1991Fort Worth City Councilman from 1979 to 1982. Retired to serve as an advisor to the chancellor of Texas Christian University. Served longest term in Fort Worth mayoral history.
41stNorvell Kay GrangerRepublican21 May 1991 - 19 December 1995First female mayor of Fort Worth. Left office to campaign for Texas's 12th congressional district, where she still serves in the House as of 2017.
-Jewel Woods20 December 1995 - 20 May 1996Interim mayor replacing Kay Granger, who left office to campaign for Texas's 12th district U.S. House seat.
42ndKenneth BarrDemocratic21 May 1996 - 20 May 2003Former Fort Worth city councilman.
43rdMichael J. MoncriefDemocratic20 May 2003 - 12 July 2011Former Texas senator from the 12th district. Elected in 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2009. Chose not to seek a fifth term.
44thBetsy PriceRepublican12 July 2011 - presentIncumbent. Former Tarrant County tax assessor. Elected 2011, 2013, and 2015 unopposed.

*Dates given as per Fort Worth Mayor's office.