Galena, Illinois Galena, Illinois Galena Illinois Downtown Galena, Illinois Official name: The City of Galena Named for: The lead sulfide ore galena Township East Galena, West Galena, and Rawlins Landmark Galena Historic District River Galena Government Galena City Hall Location of Galena inside Illinois Wikimedia Commons: Galena, Illinois Galena is the biggest city in and the governmental center of county of Jo Daviess County, Illinois, with a populace of 3,429 at the 2010 census. A 581-acre (235 ha) section of the town/city is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Galena Historic District.
It is titled for the mineral galena, which was mined by Native Americans in the region for over a thousand years.
Owing to these deposits, Galena was the site of the first primary mineral rush in the United States.
Galena was the home of Ulysses S.
Galena ore from the Galena mines The town/city is titled for galena, the natural form of lead sulfide (Pb - S) and the most meaningful lead ore. Native Americans mined the ore for use in burial rituals. The Havana Hopewell first interchanged galena in the region during the Middle Woodland reconstruction(c.
However, the use of galena in the Havana territory is uncertain; very little has been identified in burial mounds. During the Mississippian reconstruction(900 1500 CE), galena saw use as body paint. A 1703 French map identified the northwestern Illinois region as mines de plumb. Northwestern Illinois was inhabited by Sac and Fox when the French arrived. In the 1690s, French trappers identified the region and began quarrying the lead. However, conflicts with the Sioux inhibited large-scale quarrying until Julien Dubuque's Mines opened athwart the river in 1788. The French called Galena La Pointe and early Americans adopted this name as "The Point".
Early documentation officially records the name as "Fever River", an early name for the Galena River, though it does not appear that this name was generally used. George Davenport, a retired colonel in the United States Army, successfully shipped Galena's first boatload of lead ore down the Mississippi River in 1816.
The Dowling House (1826 27) is the earliest building in Galena Martin Thomas, appointed by the government in 1824 to oversee mine leases, was commissioned to survey the mines in 1826. The name "Galena" was purportedly given amid a town meeting that year; rejected names encompassed Jackson, Harrison, and Jo Daviess.
The territory remained in government possession until the leasing fitness was eased out in 1836 37. When Jo Daviess County was established in 1827, Galena was titled its county seat.
This established the first courts in Galena; previous legal proceedings were heard in front of the Superintendent of Lead Mines. 21 million pounds of lead were mined in Galena from 1825 to 1828 and the populace exploded in that time from 200 to 10,000. Local native tribes, now mostly Winnebago, permitted pioneer to mine in established areas in Galena.
However, the expansion of the town/city led pioneer to encroach on native territory claims, seeking new veins of lead. Following a murder of a pioneer family near Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, by the Winnebago, Galena closed its mines for safety and prepared for war.
Incorporation was allowed by the county board of trustees on October 2, and the first meeting of trustees occurred the next day. The 15th Illinois General Assembly (1836 37) codified the trustee election process. A steamboat was chose as the town seal on May 22, 1837. A state law resulted in the first elections for mayor and aldermen on May 24, 1841, replacing the board of trustees; Charles S.
The first census was also held that year, finding 1,900 inhabitants. By 1845 Galena was producing nearly 27,000 tons of lead ore and Jo Daviess County was producing 80 percent of the lead in the United States. Once one of the most meaningful cities in the state, Galena was a core on the Mississippi River between St.
Due to erosion, the Galena River is now inaccessible to steamboats.
Galena received nationwide attention in the 1860s as home of General Ulysses S.
Following a sharp diminish in the demand for lead (which had been the city's chief income origin during the early 19th century), Galena's populace dropped from 14,000 in the mid-19th century, to 3,396 in the early 21st century. Galena's official flag was adopted in 1976 to symbolize mining, agriculture, steamboats, and the nine American Civil War generals who lived in the city. Until the late 1980s, Galena remained a small non-urban farming community.
In the 1980s, Galena Mayor Frank Einsweiler initiated a tourist campaign.
Since that time the face of Galena has changed a great deal.
Clingman's and Hartig's have relocated to the outskirts of Galena, while Stair's and Sullivan's closed their doors permanently. In late 2010, Clingman's joined the Hartig's family and moved their pharmacy to Hartig's Drugs locale along Highway 20.
In 2010 Galena started a campaign called Vision - 2020, that is modeled after neighbor Dubuque, Iowa's Vision 2010, a committee which gives the improve five ideas out of hundreds brought forth in the improve that they want Galena to do in the next decade.
In 2011, Trip - Advisor listed Galena among its top-ten "Charming Small Towns".
US 20/IL 84 bridge over the Galena River Galena is positioned at 42 25 5 N 90 25 53 W (42.418171, 90.431472) along the Galena River, which is one of many tributaries of the Mississippi River. According to the 2010 census, Galena has a total region of 4.167 square miles (10.79 km2), of which 4.16 square miles (10.77 km2) (or 99.83%) is territory and 0.007 square miles (0.02 km2) (or 0.17%) is water. Galena is positioned in the Driftless Zone, an region that was not veiled by glaciers amid the recent ice ages. This area, which includes the far northwestern corner of Illinois, escaped glaciation, while almost the entire state was glaciated, nearly to its southern tip. Because it escaped glaciation, this region is known for its hills, valleys, bluffs and considerable exposed rock. Horseshoe Mound is a hill positioned outside Galena that U.S.
20 winds around before entering Galena.
Mississippi River The Galena Territory Galena Galena has a humid continental climate (Koppen climate classification: Dfa), with cold winters, hot summers, and four seasons. Annual rain is about 36 inches.
Climate data for Galena Floodgates in downtown Galena Photo of former Galena High School now a multi-family residentiary condominium building Because of the city's adjacency to the Galena River, buildings have been threatened on various occasions by flooding.
Because of this, the bridge for Highway 20 crossing the river was titled the Frank Einsweiler memorial bridge. Galena's Congressman, Leo E.
1828 - In Galena's first recorded flood, water was high enough to allow steamboats to travel on town/city streets. 1993 - Almost eight feet of water threatened downtown Galena, but was stopped by the city's floodgates.
Late spring season rainfall led the Mississippi and Galena Rivers to their highest recorded levels. 2011 - In a 12-hour reconstructionbetween July 27 and July 28, Galena received between 10 and 15 inches of rain.
The Galena River rose to more than twice its normal height and possibly its highest recorded level since the floodgates were erected.
Panorama of Galena from the Levee, (left) Methodist Church Steeple, (center right) Lutheran Church Steeple, (right) Presbyterian Church Steeple Galena is a prominent tourist destination hosting well over one million visitors each year. Galena is also prominent with Chicagoans, many of whom keep second homes in the area. 85 percent of the structures in Galena are inside the Galena Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and greatly contributes to the city's popularity. The Old Market House State Historic Site, assembled in 1845, is a exhibition of small-town social history.
Main Street in downtown Galena has a large number of specialty shops and restaurants and a winery.
Galena's Saint Michael's Church was established by the pioneer priest Father Samuel Mazzuchelli.
Opened in 1855, the downtown De - Soto House Hotel is the earliest operating hotel in Illinois. There are also a several resorts and golf courses in the Galena area. Hancock opened the first school in September 1826. The Galena Academy followed in 1832. Galena is home to Galena High School and since 1992, Tri-State Christian School. Since 2007, Highland Community College has offered classes in the city.
Main article: List of citizens from Galena, Illinois Galena was the home to nine Civil War generals. Foremost among these is Grant, who first came to Galena with his wife Julia in 1860 to work in the family tannery and leather-good shop.
A veteran of the Mexican American War, Grant was called upon to raise a regiment of volunteers raised in Galena when the Civil War broke out in 1861.
Washburne, Grant became Galena's first general when promoted by Abraham Lincoln on May 17, 1861.
Grant returned victorious to Galena in 1865 and was offered a brick home, today recognized as the Ulysses S.
He did not return to Galena.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Galena, Illinois.
The Galena Territory a b c Galena Area Chamber of Commerce via Community - Link (November 15, 2004).
City of Galena.
United States Enumeration Bureau.
"2008 populace estimate for Galena city".
Galena Historical Society (June 21, 2006).
"Galena Illinois".
Quincy - Net (August 2, 2005).
Kett 1878, p.
Kett 1878, p.
"Galena and Its Lead Mines".
United States Enumeration Bureau.
"2005 populace estimate for Galena city".
"Average Weather for Galena, IL (61036)".
Galena Historical Society (June 21, 2006).
"A Timeline of Galena History".
"Illinois Severe Storms and Flooding FEMA-1935-DR Declared August 19, 2010" (PDF).
"Galena Faces Flood Damage After 13.5 Inches Of Rainfall".
"Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015".
Economic Development: Approved elected plan, City of Galena, Illinois, (2003, April 15).
Back to Galena.
"Galena sent nine generals to Union cause".
"Galena, Illinois".
Galena Historical Society (June 21, 2006).
Galena and Aboriginal Trade in Eastern North America.
Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclop dia Britannica article Galena (Illinois).
Galena, Illinois travel guide from Wikivoyage City of Galena official website Galena Gazette journal
Categories:
Galena, Illinois - Cities in Illinois - Cities in Jo Daviess County, Illinois - County seats in Illinois - Populated places established in 1826 - 1826 establishments in Illinois
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