This is a list of mayors of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Tim Kelly has been the incumbent mayor of Chattanooga since his inauguration on April 19, 2021 at the Tivoli Theatre.
City aldermen system (1840-1911) # Portrait Name Term start Term end Terms Party affiliation 1 James Enfield Berry[a] January 1, 1840 December 31, 1840 1 2 Dr. Beriah Frazier 1841 1 3 Dr. Milo Smith (1st term) 1842 1843 2 4 Dr. Joseph Strong Gillespie 1844 1845 2 5 Henry White Massengale (1st term) 1846 1848 3 6 Thomas Crutchfield Sr. 1849 1 7 Dr. Milo Smith (3rd, 4th & 5th terms) 1850 1852 3 8 Henry White Massengale (2nd term) 1853 1 9 William Williams January 1854 July 1, 1954 10 William F. Ragsdale July 1, 1854 December 1954 11 Eldridge Gerry Pearl 1855 1 12 David Claiborne McMillin 1856 1 13 William D. Fulton 1857 1 14 Dr. William Samuel Bell 1858 1 15 Thomas Crutchfield Jr. 1859 1 16 Charles Erskine Grenville 1860 1 17 James Cartwright Warner 1861 1 18 Dr. Milo Smith (6th & 7th terms) 1862 September 9, 1863 2 Under direct control of the United States Army for duration of Civil War from 1863–1865 # Portrait Name Term start Term end Terms Party affiliation 19 Richard Henderson October 7, 1865 December 28, 1865 1 20 Charles E. Lewis 1866 1867 1 Republican 21 Dudley C. Carr 1867 1869 2 22 Alonzo G. Sharpe (1st term) 1869 1870 1 Republican 23 William P. Rathburn 1870 1871 2 24 Gen. John T. Wilder ‡ November 20, 1871 May 18, 1872 2 Republican 25 Josiah Jackson Bryan May 18, 1872 November 25, 1872 1 26 Dr. Eli M. Wight (1st term) November 25, 1872 November 24, 1873 1 Republican 27 Dr. Philander D. Sims November 24, 1873 November 23, 1874 1 Democratic 28 John W. James November 23, 1874 November 22, 1875 1 Republican 29 Col. Tomlinson Fort, Jr. November 22, 1875 November 20, 1876 1 Democratic 30 Dr. Eli M. Wight (2nd term) November 20, 1876 November 20, 1877 1 Republican 31 Thomas J. Carlisle † November 19, 1877 October 29, 1878 1 Republican 32 Andrew Jackson Gahagan (Acting) October 29, 1878 November 25, 1878 Republican 33 Jesse Thomas Hill November 25, 1878 November 24, 1879 1 Democratic 34 Henry Frederick Temple November 24, 1879 November 22, 1880 1 Independent 35 John A. Hart (1st term) November 22, 1880 November 21, 1881 1 Republican 36 Henry C. Evans November 21, 1881 November 19, 1883 2 Republican 37 Hugh Whiteside November 19, 1883 November 23, 1885[b] 1 Democratic 38 Alonzo G. Sharpe (2nd term) November 23, 1885 November 21, 1887 1 Republican 39 John B. Nicklin November 21, 1887 October 14, 1889 1 Democratic 40 John A. Hart (2nd term) † October 14, 1889 January 15, 1891 1 Republican 41 Isaac B. Merriman (Acting) January 20, 1891 October 19, 1891 1/2 42 Garnet Andrews October 19, 1891 October 16, 1893 1 Democratic 43 George W. Ochs October 16, 1893 October 18, 1897 2 Democratic 44 Edmond G. Watkins October 18, 1897 October 16, 1899 1 Democratic 45 Joseph Wassman October 16, 1899 October 14, 1901 1 Republican – Alexander W. Chambliss (1st & 2nd terms) October 14, 1901 October 16, 1905 2 Democratic 46 William Little Frierson October 16, 1905 October 14, 1907 1 Democratic 47 William Riley Crabtree October 14, 1907 October 18, 1909 1 Democratic 48 Thomas C. Thompson October 18, 1909 May 8, 1911[c] 1 Democratic
City commission system (1911-1990) # Portrait Name Term in office[c] Terms Party affiliation Election – Thomas C. Thompson(1860–1938) May 8, 1911–April 19, 1915 1 Democratic 1911 49 Jesse M. Littleton(1867–1923) April 19, 1915–July 14, 1919 1 Republican 1915 50 Alex W. Chambliss ‡ (1864–1947) July 14, 1919–October 17, 1923 3 Democratic 1919 1923 51 Richard Hardy(1868–1927) October 17, 1923–April 18, 1927 1 none Acting 52 Edward D. Bass ‡ (1873–1960) April 18, 1927–January 10, 1947 5 Democratic 1927 1931 1935 1939 1943 53 Elijah R. Betterton(1879–1958) January 10, 1947–April 14, 1947 none Acting 54 Hugh P. Wasson(1889–1958) April 14, 1947–April 16, 1951 1 Independent 1947 55 Peter R. Olgiati(1901–1989) April 16, 1951–April 15, 1963 3 none 1951 1955 1959 56 Ralph H. Kelley ‡ (1928–2004) April 15, 1963–January 1, 1969 1 none 1963 1967 57 Austin L. Bender ‡ (1916–1980) January 1, 1969–January 26, 1971 Democratic Acting 58 S. Dean Peterson(1903–1986) January 26, 1971– April 1971 2 months none Acting 59 Robert K. Walker(1925–2007) 1971–1975 1 none 1971 60 Charles A. Rose(1930–2022) 1975–1983 2 none 1975 1979 61 Gene Roberts(1932–2013) 1983–1990 4 none 1983 1987
City council system (Since 1990) # Portrait Name Term in office Terms Party affiliation Election Previous office – Gene Roberts(1932–2013) 1990–1997 4 none 1990 1993 Tennessee Commissioner of Safety(1979–1982) 62 Jon Kinsey(b. 1954) 1997–2001 1 Democratic 1997 President of Leonard Kinsey Company(1984–1996) 63 Bob Corker(b. 1952) April 16, 2001 –April 18, 2005 1 Republican 2001 Tennessee Commissioner of Finance and Administration(1995–1996) 64 Ron Littlefield(b. 1954) April 18, 2005 –April 15, 2013 2 Independent 2005 2009 Chairman of the City Council (1990–2001) 65 Andy Berke (b. 1968) April 15, 2013 –April 19, 2021 2 Democratic 2013 2017 Member of the Tennessee Senate (2007–2012) 66 Tim Kelly(b. 1967) April 19, 2021 –Incumbent 1 Independent 2021 2025 Notes[a] From 1840–1882, all mayors served one year terms, with several mayors elected to successive terms. [b] From 1883–1911, all mayors served two year terms, with several mayors elected to successive terms. [c] From 1911 to the present, most mayors have served four year terms, with several mayors elected to successive terms.
See also Timeline of Chattanooga, Tennessee
Notes
Further reading "Mayor's Office: History of Mayors" — City of Chattanooga