Hazen S. Pingree was among the pioneers of the first wave of Progressive reformers. Following his service to Massachusetts and the Union in the Civil War, Pingree settled in Detroit, and through his keen business skills, took control of and developed a highly successful shoe factory. Having established himself as a successful businessman, Pingree joined the Michigan Club, a group of Republic business people. He was also active in the GAR (Grand Army of the Republicans), a veterans' group, and the Masons. In 1889 the Michigan Club offered him the nomination for the mayor of Detroit, where he accepted, and with his support for an 8-hour workday, won the backing of the immigrants and working people of the city, and thus the election, defeating the local corrupt political machine. Pingree fought for a number of different progressive reforms and ideas during his two terms as mayor. Among things, he fought for publicly owned and controlled public utilities, such as gas, electric, railways, and telephones. To accomplish this, he fought against the privately owned businesses, which owned these utilities, saying "Corporations seeking franchises find it necessary to elect dishonest men to public office." Under Pingree's term in office, Detroit underwent drastic changes as far as progressive reforms, including the revamping of the city's riverfront, the rooting out of corruption, and the creating of potato patches, which earned him the nickname "Potato Patch Pingree". In 1896, Pingree was elected to his first term of two terms of Governor of Michigan. As governor, Pingree fought the railroad and mining companies tax evasion practices, but however was not able to accomplish as much as he did as mayor, for several reasons. For one, legislature was uncooperative. Also, his second term was hurt by accusations and scandals, making it much less productive. Hazen S. Pingree had great significance as a Progressive reformer, although he is often overshadowed by the Progressives after the "official" start of the Progressive Era, the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. In Detroit and Michigan, Pingree was able to take leaps and bounds in the urban conditions towards the Progressive ideas and reforms. Thus, Hazen S. Pingree had a valuable impact as one of the early pioneers of the Progressive reform movement.