Galena, Illinois
Galena is a city of 2,931 people in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, founded in 1826.
Why visit Galena
Townapedia lists 24 museums and landmarks, 13 parks and trails, 35 places to eat, 15 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Galena Historic District, General Grants Home, Gateway Park and Horseshoe Mound Preserve.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 10°F, and about 38 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Galena
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Galena
Galena is the largest city in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. It had a population of 3,308 at the 2020 census. A 581-acre (235 ha) section of the city is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Galena Historic District. The city is named for the mineral galena, which was in the ore that formed the basis for the region's early lead mining economy.
From the Wikipedia article Galena, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks24
Galena Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic district in Galena, Illinois
General Grants Home
Museum · 0.8 mi
500 Bouthillier Street, Galena
Mar-Oct We-Su 09:00-16:45; Nov-Feb We-Su 09:00-16:00; Mo,Tu off
Old Market House
Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places
123 North Commerce Street
Washburne House State Historic Site
Museum · 0.8 mi
908 3rd Street, Galena
May-Oct Fr-Sa 10:00-13:00; PH off
Charles Wenner House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Former historic house in Galena, Illinois, United States
Elihu Benjamin Washburne House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Galena, Illinois, on the National Register of Historic Places
Henry W. Miller House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
House in Jo Daviess County, Illinois
Ulysses S. Grant Home
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in Illinois, United States
Chicago Athenaeum
Museum · 0.8 mi
Museum of architecture and design in Illinois, US
601 South Prospect Street, Galena
Galena & U.S. Grant Museum
Museum · 0.5 mi
21 South Bench Street, Galena
Mo-Su 10:00-16:30
12 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds13
Horseshoe Mound Preserve
Hiking and trails · 1.8 mi
1679 North Blackjack Road, Galena
sunrise-sunset
1 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes35
Otto's Place
Diner · American · 0.7 mi
100 Bouthillier Street
Fr-Su 08:00-14:00; Th 08:00-13:00; Mo 08:00-13:00
Bread & Vine Bakery and Wine Bar
Bakery · 0.5 mi
217 South Main Street, Galena
Mo-Th,Su 09:00-20:00; Fr-Sa 09:00-21:00
Galena Taphouse
Bar and pub · American
215 Diagonal Street
Su-We 11:30-22:00; Th 11:30-00:15; Fr-Sa 11:30-00:15
23 more on the map.
Where to stay15
The Steamboat House Bed and Breakfast
Motel and hotel · 0.8 mi
605 South Prospect Street
Churches and places of worship8
Shopping6
Gas and EV charging4
City Hall City of Galena ChargePoint
EV charging · 0.5 mi
101 Green Street, Galena
Schools, colleges and libraries4
Healthcare1
Map of Galena
111 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27°F | 10°F | 1.2 in | 10.3 in |
| Feb | 31°F | 14°F | 1.5 in | 9.0 in |
| Mar | 44°F | 24°F | 2.2 in | 5.1 in |
| Apr | 57°F | 36°F | 3.9 in | 1.3 in |
| May | 69°F | 47°F | 4.4 in | 0.3 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 58°F | 6.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 62°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 60°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 50°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 61°F | 39°F | 3.0 in | 0.4 in |
| Nov | 46°F | 28°F | 2.5 in | 2.0 in |
| Dec | 33°F | 17°F | 1.8 in | 9.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Galena (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Jo Daviess County has had 7 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2010-08-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2008-03-13: Record Snow And Near Record Snow (Snowstorm)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Dubuque Regional Airport (DBQ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 14 miles away.
- The Galena Territory 6 mi east, about 9 min by car
- Menominee 7 mi northwest, about 11 min by car
- Hazel Green 8 mi north, about 12 min by car
- Scales Mound 10 mi east, about 16 min by car
- East Dubuque 11 mi northwest, about 18 min by car
- Dubuque 15 mi west, about 24 min by car
- Platteville 21 mi north, about 34 min by car
- Clinton 41 mi south, about 1 h by car
- Freeport 42 mi east, about 1 h by car
- Monroe 42 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Galena Illinois skyline, DR04 of English Wikipedia, Attribution
- Galena Il Galena Historic District Downtown1, IvoShandor, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Galena IL Old Market House1, IvoShandor, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Image Miller House, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Galena IL Elihu B. Washburne House1, IvoShandor, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wenner House in autumn, Brianmc52, CC BY-SA 3.0
- GraceGalena, Jesse Green, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.