List of mayors of Roanoke, Virginia


The following is a list of mayors of Roanoke, Virginia. This list includes the mayors of the former town Big Lick, Virginia, which was later incorporated as the city of Roanoke on February 3, 1882. Because of the current weak mayor-city manager system in Roanoke, the mayor is the "first among equals" on the Roanoke City Council.
Mayors of the town of Big Lick:
No.NameEntered officeLeft office
1John TroutFebruary 28, 1874June 30, 1876
2Samuel GriggsJuly 1, 1876June 30, 1878
3William H. StartzmanJuly 1, 1878June 30, 1880
4Marshall WaidJuly 1, 1880February 3, 1882

Elected mayors following incorporation as the City of Roanoke:
No.NameEntered officeLeft office
5Marshall WaidFebruary 3, 1882June 30, 1892
6Lucian H. CockeJuly 1, 1882June 30, 1884
7John H. DunstonJuly 1, 1884June 30, 1885
8Samuel G. WilliamsJuly 1, 1885June 30, 1886
9William CarrJuly 1, 1886June 30, 1890
10William G. EvansJuly 1, 1890June 30, 1892
11Henry S. TroutJuly 1, 1892June 30, 1894
12Sturgis E. JonesJuly 1, 1894June 30, 1896
13Robert McClellandJuly 1, 1896November 2, 1896
14William K. AndrewsNovember 2, 1896June 30, 1898
15James P. WoodsJuly 1, 1898June 30, 1900
16J. Randolph BryanJuly 1, 1900February 13, 1902
17Robert D. BucknerFebruary 13, 1902June 30, 1902
18Joel H. CutchinJuly 1, 1902April 9, 1912
19Sylvester P. SeifertApril 9, 1912June 30, 1912
20John W. WoodsJuly 1, 1912December 23, 1912
21Cephas B. MoomawFebruary 1, 1913October 18, 1915
22Charles M. BrownOctober 18, 1915August 31, 1918
23W.W. BoxleySeptember 1, 1915August 31, 1922
24Blair J. FishburnSeptember 1, 1922August 31, 1926
25Charles D. FoxSeptember 1, 1926August 31, 1930
26Sylvester P. SeifertSeptember 1, 1930August 31, 1934
27Sidney F. SmallSeptember 1, 1934June 2, 1938
28James A. BearJune 2, 1938August 31, 1938
29Walter W. WaidSeptember 1, 1938October 15, 1943
30Leo F. HenebryOctober 15, 1943August 31, 1946
31Richard T. EdwardsSeptember 1, 1946August 31, 1948
32Williams P. HunterSeptember 1, 1948August 31, 1949
33Roy L. WebberSeptember 1, 1949August 31, 1954
34Robert W. WoodySeptember 1, 1954August 31, 1956
35Walter L. YoungSeptember 1, 1956August 31, 1958
36Vincent S. WheelerSeptember 1, 1958August 31, 1960
37Wills M. AndersonSeptember 1, 1960August 31, 1962
38Murray A. StollerSeptember 1, 1962August 31, 1964
39Benton O. DillardSeptember 1, 1964August 31, 1968
40Roy L. WebberSeptember 1, 1968October 18, 1975
41Noel C. TaylorOctober 27, 1975June 30, 1992
42David A. BowersJuly 1, 1992June 30, 2000
43Ralph K. SmithJuly 1, 2000June 30, 2004
44Nelson HarrisJuly 1, 2004June 30, 2008
45David A. BowersJuly 1, 2008June 30, 2016
46Sherman Lea, Sr.July 1, 2016Incumbent