As NYC Mayor, George McClellan Jr’s pedigree gave him a head start. But he didn’t have Robert Moses in his corner and he built the iconic NYC we see today.

You get to the surface of Columbus Circle station in front of Central Park. A string of taxis fly through the lights heading toward the Queensboro Bridge on the East side. In this moment, it’s hard to forget your in New York City. The old subway carts, canary yellow taxis, the grand bridges… Nowhere are there so many iconic features of both historical and practical significance. During the 20th century, there was one mayor who you can attached to the most significant pieces. And it’s not Fiorello La Quardia.

In the early 1900s, it would be one of Tammany Hall’s own that would transform the city to great lengths in a short period of time. And he would do it, unlike La Guardia, without the aid of public service legend, Robert Moses.

Good Pedigree – The 1904 NYC Mayor gets a big head start

George McClellan Jr. was born in 1865. He would become the mayor of New York in 1903. Unlike La Guardia, who is arguably the greatest mayor the city ever had, McClellan had a big head start in life. When he was born, his father (a former Union General during the Civil War) had just finished a presidential campaign as the Democratic nominee. While unsuccessful, he would become the Governor of New Jersey. His son, George Jr., would grow up in a political household, one that would serve him well.

Rise to Power

Stepping away from New York… for the US Congress

Just after his father passed away, McClellan would graduate from Princeton (c.1886) and start his career. He began as a reporter in New York. Only a few years later, he would join Tammany Hall . It would be less than a year in before he would be given a high profile post. He was appointed as the treasurer of the Brooklyn Bridge. Just 3 years later he would be promoted once again becoming the President of the New York City Council (then called the Board of Aldermen).

In 1894, McClellan would serve a short stint as acting mayor of New York before becoming a member of the 54th United States Congress in 1895 as a Democrat. A time when the Republicans held a majority in both the House and the Senate. He would stay in Congress for the better part of a decade. But in 1903, he would return to New York.

What he accomplished in just 6 years as NYC Mayor

In November 1903, he would be elected 93rd mayor of New York. Winning again just 2 years later, he would be extended for another four years. After his time was up, his legacy was arguably unmatched by any other New York mayor of the 20th century.

McClellan starts with a bang – Introduces 3 of New York City’s most recognizable features

Big infrastructure

Months after becoming mayor, he began to introduce what would be three of New York City’s greatest icons. In April of 1904, the first would be the renaming of Longacre Square. Today it’s known as Times Square. By the end of 1904 he would also drive New York City’s first subway (literally) up to Harlem. A few years later, he would approve the first licence of a New York City taxicab

In that same year, the Chelsea Piers would also be opened allowing large ships to dock in the city for the first time. Not to be outdone, a few years later, he would open the Queensboro Bridge. In the same year he opened the bridge, even more important innovations were implemented to help New Yorkers. The first NYC Fire Trucks were deployed that were motorized in that year. And it wasn’t just fire trucks he bought. During his term, he approved 19 new fire stations and saw the first high pressure water system implemented for fire fighting in the city.

Final legacy

Before leaving office, McClellan managed to put a dent in three major projects. The Manhattan Bridge, New York Public Library, and Grand Central Station (all completed between 1912 and 1913). Certainly, McClellan contributed to or was a part of many iconic changes. Perhaps just as important, he managed to build over one hundred school buildings, support the completion of 35 miles of new docking, explore big upgrades to the city’s water system, and implement over 270 acres of new park space.

LaGuardia – still the undisputed king of Mayors?

To many, Fiorello La Guardia is New York City’s greatest mayor. Hard to disagree. With his term passing through the Great Depression and World War II, it’s incredible how much was accomplished during his leadership. But remove Robert Moses from the equation, and would he have really accomplished so much? Perhaps you could say the same about McClellan. That he had good luck too being groomed by his father and subsequently the powers at Tammany Hall. You could say that much of what he accomplished was circumstantial of the time. That his predecessors laid the groundwork.

Tough to tell. But remove McClellan’s accomplishments from New York, and the city just isn’t itself.

[Key Sources / Literature: The Bowery Boys, NNDB, Arlington Cemetery, History, A View on Cities, Chelsea Piers, Freakanomics]