William B. Harrison

Who was William B. Harrison?

William Benjamin Harrison was mayor of Louisville, Kentucky from 1927 to 1933. He graduated from Louisville Male High School in 1907 and the University of Virginia School of Law in 1910. He served as a captain in the United States Army during World War I. From 1922 to 1929 as president of the Kentucky Refrigerating Company.

He was elected mayor in 1927 after the Kentucky Court of Appeals threw out the election of Arthur A. Will. He was re-elected to a full term in 1929. As mayor, Harrison arranged the finances for the construction of the Municipal Bridge, securing private financing after a bond initiative failed. He also supported the purchase of the Von Zedtwitz estate, with the goal of establishing Bowman Field, the city's first airport. Numerous suburbs surrounding the airport were also carved out of the property.

Harrison ran for Governor of Kentucky in 1931 but was defeated by Ruby Laffoon. After his term as Mayor, Harrison served as chairman of the Louisville Industrial Foundation for 14 years. He died in 1948 and was buried in Cave Hill Cemetery.