Galena, Illinois City Guide
Galena's historic structures house charming boutiques, shops and cozy restaurants, along with quaint bed and breakfasts, hotels and inns.
Galena Bed & Breakfast & History
 Historic Galena, Illinois, will impress you with its persevering character, pristine natural setting, friendly locals, and romantic bed and breakfasts. Nestled in a valley among rolling hills, Galena is an ideal bed and breakfast destination, ready to woo you with spectacular golf courses, art galleries and shops and stores, immaculate gardens and winding trails for exploration, and enchanting bed and breakfasts located in ideal country settings or downtown locales. Visit Galena and discover why it's often referred to as Illinois's best kept bed and breakfast secret.
Named for the technical term for sulphide of lead, Galena was established as a town in 1826. Earlier in the 1800s the Mississippi Lead Mine District was created by Congress, paving the way for the industry that would soon dominate the region. The population grew as prospectors arrived to mine the rich lead deposits and access to shipping along the Mississippi River from the Galena River was vital to the city's growth. Galena bed and breakfasts began popping up, meeting the needs of travelers and settlers alike. Galena was the busiest port between St. Paul and St. Louis by the 1850s and the railroad soon connected Galena to Freeport, Illinois. Ulysses S. Grant arrived in Galena in 1860 to work in his father's leather goods store and later left for the Civil War named as a General. The home he left still stands today and the house he occupied upon returning victorious from war is now a historic site open to the public. The lead mining industry declined and the Gold Rush drew people west, leaving behind a city rich with history and architectural beauty, maintaining its small town, old world charm and peacefulness and the perfect setting for romantic bed and breakfasts. |
