Harrison Gray Otis is elected mayor of Boston.

Otis (F) defeats Caleb Eddy by a margin of 2,978 to 1,283. He lives at 45 Beacon Street. In his inaugural address on January 5, 1829, he encourages a railway connection with the Hudson River and warns that the city must improve its planning or else “the streams of our prosperity will seek other channels.” Despite his promotion of business, the city’s economy is not strong during his administration. Otis does, however, persuade the Massachusetts legislature to pass an act which gives the city ownership of all of the property of Suffolk County in Boston.