Galena Tourist Attractions
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The little town of Galena at the extreme north-western tip of Illinois was originally a French outpost, a base for the exploration of the north-west. In the 19th c. lead mining in the surrounding area made it the wealthiest town in the state. Galena has largely preserved its 19th c. aspect, with many handsome antebellum houses bearing witness to its former prosperity. Particularly fine is the Old Market House, once occupied by General (later President) Ulysses S. Grant.
Ulysses S. Grant Home State Historic Site
The Grant Home was presented to Ulysses S. Grant in 1865 upon his return from the Civil War, this home contains many of his belongings as well as original furnishings.
Galena (Jo Daviess County History Museum)
The Galena Historical Museum is housed in the Daniel A. Barrows mansion, built 1858. The Italianate home still has many of the original details. Exhibits include mining, steamboating, Ulysses S. Grant and the Civil War, costumes and textiles, and other historical artifacts.
Linmar Gardens
Linmar Gardens is on a hillside overlooking the town of Galena. The collection of plants includes hostas, viburnums, conifers, grasses and daylilies. The garden also has a water feature with ponds and a 20 foot waterfall cascading from a natural bluff.
Washburne House
Elihu B. Washburne was a prominent attorney, as well as political adviser to Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant. His home was constructed in 1843 in Greek Revival style.
Belvedere Mansion
The Belvedere Mansion was built in 1857. The Italianate mansion features decorative arts, draperies from "Gone with the Wind", and period furnishings.
Dowling House
Dowling House was built in native limestone in 1826. It is Galena's oldest house furnished with primitives and an extensive collection of Galena pottery.
Old Market House State Historic Site
The Greek Revival building, Old Market House, was built in 1845 and served as a city hall and a public meeting place during Galena's most prosperous era.
Galena Pictures
