Butz’s simply beard-tastic photo is among the impressive collection of beard-tastic photos hanging in Dayton City Hall, 101 W Third St., downtown.
>> The Budweiser Clydesdales are coming to Dayton, and they have a date at The Pine Club
>> This local sandwich restaurant is looking for 3 to 5 more locations
Stand down, hipsters -- you can't compete. The beard on Butz is not even the best beard.
THAT BEARD, in our assessment, belongs to E.C. Ellis, Dayton mayor in 1864 and 1867.
>> Dayton most iconic and long-gone neon signs
Give that boy a barrel of bourbon and see what he can do.
There are plenty of smooth faces among the images of Dayton’s mayor, but for the purposes of this report, we will ignore them.
As it turns out, Francis M. Hosier's bushy all-business beard and mustache is far more interesting.
We vote yes.
>> Dayton's Fire Blocks faces deadline, could lose $4.5M in funds
The bulk of the beards cover the faces of Dayton's first mayors. See for yourself in the video above.
Butz, the first to enroll in St. Mary's School for Boys (the foundation for what is now The University of Dayton), for instance, was Dayton’s mayor in 1875 and from 1878 to 1879.
>> 7 historical facts about the University of Dayton
We are sure the ladies thought he was styling.
All that said, the city’s bearded mayors don’t stop there.
Richard Clay Dixon, mayor from 1987 to 1992, and James H. McGee, mayor in 1970 and 1981, represent the 20th century with magical facial hair of wonder.
>> James H. McGee, Dayton's trailblazing mayor
Though his face is clean-shaven for his City Hall photo, Gary Leitzell, Dayton mayor from 2010 to 2013, was known to have a little facial scruff, but it was no William H. Sigman.
>> 3 things to know about Dayton’s historic, ‘handsome’ Union Station
Fun Fact: the leader of Dayton’s council didn't hold the title of "mayor" until 1829.
About the Author
