Gordon S. Clinton

Gordon S. Clinton
Gordon Clinton, 1961
43rd Mayor of Seattle
In office 1956–1964
Preceded by	Allan Pomeroy
Succeeded by	James d'Orma Braman
Personal details
Born	(1920-04-13)April 13, 1920 Medicine Hat, Alberta[1]
Died	November 19, 2011(2011-11-19) (aged 91)
Religion	Methodist

Gordon S. Clinton (April 13, 1920 – November 19, 2011) was the 43rd mayor of Seattle.^[2] After defeating incumbent Mayor Allen Pomeroy in a close election in 1956, Clinton served two terms, from 1956 to 1964. Upon taking office, Clinton established the Metropolitan Problems Advisory Committee, headed by local community leader John Ellis, to suggest approaches to dealing with chronic local and regional problems. During his administration, Clinton tackled issues as divergent as regional governance, international trade, and discrimination in housing. He was a Republican.

Clinton actively supported development of enabling legislation used by the Washington State Legislature to allow creation of regional governments, leading to the formation of the Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle (Metro) in 1958. Clinton also established Seattle's first sister city relationship (with Kobe, Japan) in 1956, supported the development of the current Seattle Center site for the World's Fair in 1962, and fought illegal gambling in Seattle. In 1963, Clinton created the 12-member Seattle Human Rights Commission to promote equality and understanding among Seattle residents.

References

External links

• Gordon S. Clinton at historylink.org
• Guide to the Mayor Gordon Stanley Clinton Photographs 1959
• Guide to the Mayor Gordon Clinton Election Scrapbooks 1956–1960
• Political Graveyard