Gentlemen’s Agreement

Gentlemen’s Gentlemen’sAgreement Agreement

There’s a big, dirty secret why Portland doesn’t have an elected mayor, and it goes back to the Ku Klux Klan. Will a new charter commission finally put this behind us?

by donna stuart

Klan Wins Victory At Portland Polls,” trumpeted The New York Times on September 11, 1923. “Vote Breaks All Records, Disorder Marks Election.” The headlines marked the dark day when Portlanders surrendered the right to have their own elected mayor. Led by F. Eugene Farnsworth, “King Kleagle of The Imperial Satrapy of Maine,” the Ku Klux Klan, headquartered in Portland at an expansive klavern on eight acres at the corner of Forest Avenue and Coyle Street, had succeeded in lobbying for this change. Formerly the Ricker Estate, the enclave included a mansion, a huge auditorium, and a 60-foot electric cross whose incandescent light was designed to be seen from miles away. More than 7,000 klansmen rallied to promote the move from an elected mayor form of government–which had invigorated Portland since 1823–to the present city manager charter plan. Fast forward to 2009. This spring, Portland voters will select o nine new members of the charT ho ter commission to join three P ile city-council appointees to F reed allen/ (Continued on page 96) review the city charter. One of the most anticipated and