In 1926, Bertha Knight Landes made history as the first woman elected mayor of a major U.S. city. This biography of Mayor Landes of Seattle by Sandra Haarsager reveals an intelligent, pragmatic woman who used urban reform to order city priorities, making the business of government not just business but the welfare of its citizens.Landes and her husband were Seattle pioneers, moving there in 1895. Through participation in women's clubs she honed her leadership skills and began to advance the causes of both urban reform and feminism, although she called herself neither a reformer nor a feminist.Landes's first public office was a seat on the Seattle City Council. Her vision of the city as "a larger home" contrasted with the prevailing emphasis on businesslike efficiency but reflected an effective, results-oriented strategy. On the council, Landes promoted city planning and zoning, the licensing and regulation of dance halls and clubs, and improved public-health and safety programs. Read Less