{{Short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2020}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Ralph Crego |order= | office =Mayor of Lansing, Michigan | term_start = August 1943 | term_end = April 1961 | predecessor = Sam Street Hughes | successor = Willard I. Bowerman Jr. | birth_date = September 2, 1893 | birth_place = Fife Lake, Michigan | death_date = {{Death date and age|1989|5|28|1893|9|2}} | death_place = East Lansing, Michigan | constituency = | party = | alma_mater = | profession = | signature = | footnotes = }}
'''Ralph William Crego''' (September 2, 1893 – May 28, 1989) was an American politician who served as Mayor of Lansing, Michigan from 1943 to 1961.
Crego was born at Fife Lake, Michigan, and moved to Lansing at age 21. He attended Lansing Business University and worked for Oldsmobile before joining the United States Marine Corps during World War I.<ref name=Obit/> After his military service, Crego opened a grocery store at 1016 W. Allegan in Lansing which he operated for 24 years.<ref name=Obit/><ref>{{cite news|title=Ralph Crego advertisement|newspaper=Lansing State Journal|date=August 23, 1935|page=19|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12526977/ralph_crego_advertisement/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He was elected to the Lansing City Council in November 1935.<ref>{{cite news|title=Wrest Seats from Present Council Members|newspaper=Lansing State Journal|date=November 6, 1935|page=8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12526880/wrest_seat_from_present_council_members/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
Crego became acting mayor in August 1943 when Mayor Sam Street Hughes entered the military.<ref name=Obit/> In November 1943, he was elected Mayor by a margin of nearly five-to-one over his opponent.<ref>{{cite news|title=Crego Easily Wins Lansing Mayoral Race|newspaper=Lansing State Journal|date=November 3, 1943|page=1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12526371/crego_easily_wins_lansing_mayoral_race/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> During his time as mayor, Lansing's population grew by more than 35% with a population of 78,753 in 1940 and 107,807 in 1960. In his 1956 State of the City message, he predicted Lansing's 1970 population would grow to 130,000, citing the need for increased street and parking infrastructure.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mayor Crego cites need for master city plan |url=https://www.proquest.com/hnpmichigancollection/pagelevelimagepdf/2031941619/pagelevelImagePDF/D68A6F79B99C4E53PQ/1?t:lb=t&accountid=12091&sourcetype=Newspapers |access-date=8 February 2026 |publisher=Lansing State Journal |date=10 January 1956}}</ref> Crego oversaw construction of many city buildings as mayor, including City Hall, the police station, and four fire stations.<ref name=Obit/> In April 1961, he lost a bid for re-election by 62 votes (out of 28,087 ballots cast) but did not seek a recount.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bowerman Wins 'Photo Finish'|newspaper=Lansing State Journal|date=April 4, 1961|page=1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12526115/bowerman_wins_photo_finish_edges/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> With nearly 18 years in office, he remains Lansing's longest-serving mayor.
Crego was married for 71 years to his wife, Marjorie. They had four children.<ref name=Ann>{{cite news|title=Cregos mark their 70th anniversary|newspaper=Lansing State Journal|date=April 7, 1988|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12525926/cregos_mark_their_70th_anniversary/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Two of their children died from polio: Dwight (age 8 in 1928) and Mary Lou (age 10 in 1931).<ref name=Ann/><ref>{{cite news|title=Dwight B. Crego|newspaper=Lansing State Journal|date=April 23, 1928|page=9|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12528496/dwight_b_crego/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Mary Lou Crego|newspaper=Lansing State Journal|date=August 23, 1931|page=7|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12528625/mary_lou_crego/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He was survived by his other two children, Joanne Hacker and David Crego.<ref name=Ann/>
Crego died in 1989 at age 95.<ref name=Obit>{{cite news|title=Former Mayor Ralph Crego dead at age 95|newspaper=Lansing State Journal|date=May 30, 1989|pages=1A, 2A|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12525838/former_mayor_ralph_crego_dead_at_age_95/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
== Crego Park == thumb In 1970, at the unanimous urging of the Lansing City Council, the Lansing Park Board honored Crego by naming a large park in the Red Cedar basin, the largest park in the city, as Ralph W. Crego Park.<ref>{{cite news|title=Crego Hailed by City|newspaper=Lansing State Journal|date=October 13, 1970|page=25|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12528854/park_may_be_named_after_exmayor_crego/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title='Crego Park' Named|newspaper=Lansing State Journal|date=October 15, 1970|page=35|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12528763/crego_park_named/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> By 1974, the park had expanded to 800 acres.<ref>{{cite news|title=City Adds to Crego Park|newspaper=Lansing State Journal|date=July 3, 1974|page=20|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12528995/city_adds_to_crego_park/}}</ref> The park was closed in 1986 after toxic waste was discovered;<ref>{{cite news|title=Casual walk puts city into oily world of PCBs|newspaper=Lansing State Journal|date=July 20, 1986|page=G1}}</ref> it remained closed for 28 years, reopening in 2014.<ref>{{cite news|title=Crego Park reopens in Lansing after toxic waste closed it for 28 years|newspaper=Lansing State Journal|date=July 31, 2014|url=http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/2014/07/31/crego-park-reopens-in-lansing-after-28-years/13459483/}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Crego, Ralph}} Category:1893 births Category:1989 deaths Category:Mayors of Lansing, Michigan Category:20th-century mayors of places in Michigan