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During the twenty years following the 1898 charter, the mayor
reached a zenith in his power. Introduction of a civil service system
for city employees in 1919, however, lessened the mayor's influence
through the demise of widespread political patronage. The mayor's
administrative domain continued to broaden in other areas with the
constant growth of the city's political structure. Mayoral
commissions and committees multiplied in the 1950s, and this trend
continues into the 1980s. Traditionally the focal point of the city
government, the mayor continues to direct most aspects of municipal
activities.
Records Summary
Baltimore is especially fortunate in having a nearly continuous
run of mayoral records from the creation of the office in 1797 until
the present. The records cover nearly every subject pertaining to the
municipal government, including taxation, licensing, ordinances and
resolutions, public health, schools, property ownership, litigation,
railroads, claims against the city, proposals, charitable enterprises,
opening and closing streets, paving streets, citizen complaints,
relationship with state and federal governments, port concerns,
general administration, requests for information and publications from
other municipalities, and applications for and appointments to
municipal positions. Prior to 1906, the records are grouped together
as they were originally organized by the Historical Records Survey in
the late 1930s. There are folder listings for all mayoral
administrative files dating after 1906.
Series
1. Calhoun Correspondence to City Council. 1797-1802.
2 lin. In.
Arranged chronologically.
2. Mayor's HRS Correspondence. 1797-1923. 26.1 cu. ft.
(58 boxes). Index.
Arranged sequentially by HRS assigned numbers.
3. Miscellaneous Incoming Mayoral Correspondence. 1885-1900.
7 cu. ft. (15.5 boxes).
Arranged chronologically.
4. Miscellaneous Outgoing Mayoral Correspondence. 1885-1900.
5 lin. in.
Arranged chronologically.
5. Police Marshall Frey, Incoming Correspondence. 1890-96.
0.25 lin. in.
Arranged chronologically.
6. General Correspondence.- 1884-96. 1 lin. in.
Arranged chronologically.
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