John G. Baxter

Who was John G. Baxter?

John George Baxter Jr. was the nineteenth and twenty-first mayor of Louisville, Kentucky from 1870 to 1872 and from 1879 to 1881, respectively. He was born to Scottish immigrants in Lexington, Kentucky and came to Louisville in 1847, and eventually established a successful stove company.

He served on the Board of Alderman during the 1860s, and was elected president from 1865 to 1867. He was elected to mayor twice as a Democrat. His first administration saw the construction of the new city hall, as well as a new city hospital and almshouse. He did not run again in 1872 after his first term because the new city charter greatly restricted incumbents from running. He ran in 1875 and lost by a small margin to Charles Donald Jacob, but was again successful in 1879.

He is buried in Cave Hill Cemetery, the main entrance of which is located on Baxter Avenue, which was renamed in his honor.