Galena Historic District
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Galena Historic District
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The heart of the district, viewed from U.S. Grant's Home
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| Location | Roughly bounded by Davis Cr., 4th, 5th, Adams, Field, Wann, N. Dodge, Fulton, N. Hickory, Hill, Ridge & Spring Sts., Galena, Illinois |
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| Built | c. 1838–1900 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Late Victorian |
| NRHP Reference # |
69000056 (original) 13000854 (increase) 13000854 (decrease) |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | October 18, 1969 |
| Boundary increase | October 23, 2013 |
| Boundary decrease | October 23, 2013 |
The Galena Historic District is a historic district located in the city of Galena, Illinois, USA. The historic district encompasses 85 percent of the city of Galena and includes more than 800 properties. The downtown area consists of three successive tiers made up of Main, Bench and Prospect Streets. Within the boundaries of the district are such notable homes as the Ulysses S. Grant Home and the Elihu B. Washburne House. The Galena Historic District was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1969.
At the time of its nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, the Galena Historic District included over 90 percent of the city. Present-day numbers cited in media reports were more conservative, stating that the district included 85 percent of the city.City ordinance in Galena describes the boundary of the historic district as any area, place, building, structure, work of art of, or other object within the "original city" and all subdivisions added before December 31, 1859.
Galena's appearance was primarily influenced by a string of fires that plagued the city during the 1850s. Those fires led city government to prohibit new construction using wood, resulting in a downtown built mostly of brick and stone. Much of Galena's early growth was due to the lead mining industry that sprouted up around lead deposits in the region. By the 1830s, Galena's population had surpassed Chicago, and many city leaders expected Galena to become the leading city in the Midwest. Galena began a long decline in the 1860s as railroads succeeded rivers as the main transportation method and the lead industry suffered falling prices.
By the 1880s, the city of Galena no longer held its former prominence, being surpassed by other river ports, such as Dubuque, Iowa, and passed over by major railroads for other locations, such as East Dubuque, Illinois. The Galena River was no longer easily navigable, and floods, including a serious one in 1937, helped ensure the end of Galena's glory days. Galena's long decline continued through the 1950s; at that time, many of the downtown buildings were dilapidated and boarded up. As the historic preservation movement took hold, Galena became one of the first cities in Illinois to pass a historic preservation ordinance. Galena's historic preservation ordinance was passed in 1965; four years later, the Galena Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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