The King of Rosemont

By Alicia Dorr in News on Apr 19, 2007 6:07PM

If you thought Boss (J.) Daley's reign as mayor was long, you obviously never heard about Donald Stephens. The only mayor of Rosemont, ever, presided over the near-northwest suburb for 51 years before dying in his sleep yesterday evening after a year and a half long battle with cancer.

In what is the longest mayoral reign in U.S. history and arguably one of the most successful, Stephens spent every moment from the time Rosemont was incorporated in 1956 to yesterday turning the small village into a viable and important destination.

It's a stretch for many people who live in the vibrant city today to pull a memory of what it was when he was elected — basically an insignificant pit stop with prostitution as the thriving economic force. Today, Rosemont is home to the former mayor's namesake convention center, and all of the restaurants, hotels and entertainment that go along with being the 10th largest convention destination in the country.

For a leader of such a small area, he was well-known, well-liked and certainly a powerful force in the region; he handily won re-election in 2005 despite being in his mid-70s and his difficulty in winning a decade-long battle with the Illinois Gaming Commission to get a casino in Rosemont. He certainly wasn't without controversy — allegations that he was connected to the mob followed him throughout his career. Rosemont itself is an exceptionally close-knit community at its best, and is well-known for being exclusive, isolative and guarded at its not so very best, which its former mayor certainly had a hand in.

We just can't leave off without a tip of the hat to a strong mayor — a true Mayor for Life.

Image via ispn.org.