Stubbs: The Cat Who Charmed an Alaska Town for 20 Years
For two decades, a cat known as the honorary mayor of a tiny Alaska town held court at the general store and drew tourists from around the world.
In the small, unincorporated town of Talkeetna, Alaska, a cat named Stubbs was known far and wide as the honorary mayor, a title he held from 1997 until 2017.
The mayor with no office
Talkeetna has no actual mayor, so Stubbs's role was entirely honorary, with no real powers and no paperwork. As the story is fondly told, the townsfolk simply decided their favorite cat deserved the title, and it stuck.
Holding court at the general store
Stubbs spent his days at Nagley's General Store, and over the years he became a genuine tourist attraction. Visitors planned stops in Talkeetna specifically to meet the famous cat mayor, and he happily obliged.
A long and celebrated life
He even survived a serious scare, a dog attack in 2013, and bounced back. Stubbs finally retired from public life for good in July 2017, at the grand age of 20. Few mayors, of any species, leave office so beloved.
Stubbs never passed a law or gave a speech. He just showed up and made people happy, which, when you think about it, is a pretty good platform.
✓ This is a true story. Sources:
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