Galesburg, Illinois
Galesburg is a city of 29,481 people in Knox County, Illinois, founded in 1837.
Why visit Galesburg
Townapedia lists 12 museums and landmarks, 27 parks and trails, 67 places to eat, 9 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Orpheum Theatre, Prairie Players Civic Theatre, Galesburg Historic District and Galesburg Railroad Museum.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 14°F, and about 26 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Galesburg
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Galesburg
Galesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The city is 45 miles (72 km) northwest of Peoria. At the 2020 census, its population was 30,052. Galesburg is the home of Knox College, a private four-year liberal arts college, and Carl Sandburg College, a community college named for native-born poet Carl Sandburg.
From the Wikipedia article Galesburg, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Museums and landmarks12
Galesburg Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic district in Illinois, United States
James B. Stockdale Museum
Museum · 2.2 mi
Small museum of U.S. military artifacts founded by VADM James Stockdale, located inside the VFW building.
1001 Michigan Avenue, Galesburg
Tu 09:00-15:00, Sa 09:00-15:00, "by appointment"
Knox County Jail
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.6 mi
Former jail in Knoxville, Knox County, Illinois
Old Main
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Building at Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois, USA
Discovery Depot Children's Museum
Museum · 0.8 mi
128 South Chambers Street, Galesburg
Tu-Sa 10:00-15:00; We 10:00-16:30; Su 12:00-15:00
Parks, trails and playgrounds27
15 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes67
Guacamole Grill
Restaurant · Mexican · 2.1 mi
506 Knox Square Drive, Galesburg
Mo-Th 11:00-21:00, Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00, Su 11:00-20:00
Pizza House
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.5 mi
132 East Simmons Street, Galesburg
Mo-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00; Su 16:00-20:00
The Packinghouse
Restaurant · Steak House · 0.7 mi
441 Mulberry Street, Galesburg
Mo-Th 15:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 11:00-20:00
Koreana
Restaurant · Korean · 0.6 mi
323 East Main Street, Galesburg
We 11:00-14:00; Th-Sa 11:00-20:00
The Grand Tap
Bar and pub · 2.2 mi
2100 Grand Avenue, Galesburg
Su-Th 12:00-01:00, Fr,Sa 12:00-02:00
Carriage House Bakery
Bakery · 0.7 mi
83 South Seminary Street, Galesburg
Mo-We 07:00-14:00; Th-Sa 07:00-16:00
55 more on the map.
History
Galesburg was founded by George Washington Gale, a Presbyterian minister from New York state who had formulated the concept of the manual labor college and first implemented it at the Oneida Institute near Utica, New York. In 1836 Gale publicized a subscription- and land purchase-based plan to found manual labor colleges in the Mississippi River valley. Land was purchased for this purpose in Knox County and in 1837 the first subscribers to the college-founding plan arrived and began to settle what became Galesburg.
Populated from the start by abolitionists, Galesburg was home to one of Illinois's first anti-slavery societies and a stop on the Underground Railroad. On October 7, 1858, the city was the site of the fifth Lincoln–Douglas debate. Galesburg was also the home of Mary Ann "Mother" Bickerdyke, who provided hospital care for Union soldiers during the Civil War.
Galesburg is the birthplace of poet Carl Sandburg, artist Dorothea Tanning, and former Major League Baseball star Jim Sundberg. The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency maintains Sandburg's boyhood home as the Carl Sandburg State Historic Site. It includes the cottage where he was born, a modern museum, the rock under which he and his wife Lilian are buried, and a performance venue.
From the History section of Galesburg, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay9
Quality Inn Galesburg near US Highway 34 and I-74
Motel and hotel · 1.8 mi
907 West Carl Sandburg Drive, Galesburg
Churches and places of worship40
Meetinghouse of the Central Congregational Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Saint Patrick's Roman Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 0.9 mi
858 South Academy Street, Galesburg
Bethel Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 0.8 mi
1196 North Academy Street, Galesburg
First Church of God
Church · Church Of God Ministries · 1.4 mi
1080 Harrison Street, Galesburg
Harmony Baptist Church
Church · Independent Baptist · 0.8 mi
746 North Hawkinson Avenue, Galesburg
Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church
Church · Lutheran · 1.1 mi
1372 W. Fremont St, Galesburg
Park View SDA Church
Church · Seventh Day Adventist · 1.1 mi
1626 West Losey Street, Galesburg
Shopping21
Cornucopia Natural Market & Deli
Grocery · 0.7 mi
176 South Seminary Street, Galesburg
Gas and EV charging11
Schools, colleges and libraries23
Knox-Warren Sped Multi-Needs Prog
School · 0.6 mi
311 E Main St Ste 632, Galesburg
Healthcare15
Lane A. Evans VA Outpatient Clinic
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.6 mi
1090 West Carl Sandburg Drive, Galesburg
Graham Medical Group Center for Ambulatory Care and Imaging Center
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.7 mi
2028 North Seminary Street, Galesburg
Knox County Health Deptartment
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.2 mi
1361 West Fremont Street, Galesburg
Map of Galesburg
228 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 14°F | 1.7 in | 9.0 in |
| Feb | 35°F | 17°F | 1.9 in | 6.6 in |
| Mar | 48°F | 28°F | 2.4 in | 2.3 in |
| Apr | 61°F | 40°F | 3.8 in | 0.4 in |
| May | 72°F | 52°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 81°F | 62°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 65°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 63°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 76°F | 55°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 63°F | 42°F | 2.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 48°F | 30°F | 2.6 in | 1.7 in |
| Dec | 35°F | 20°F | 2.1 in | 5.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Galesburg (1 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
Knox County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-09-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2013-05-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2007-09-25: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Harrel W. Timmons Galesburg Regional Airport (GBG) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 3 miles away.
- East Galesburg 3 mi east, about 6 min by car
- Knoxville 6 mi southeast, about 9 min by car
- Wataga 7 mi northeast, about 12 min by car
- Abingdon 10 mi south, about 16 min by car
- Oneida 12 mi northeast, about 19 min by car
- Canton 32 mi southeast, about 52 min by car
- East Moline 39 mi north, about 1 h by car
- Peoria 42 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Davenport 44 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- East Peoria 48 mi southeast, 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
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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
- Galesburg Railroad Museum, Peter Van den Bossche, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Old Main Knox College, Jimmy Thomas, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Central Congregational Church in Galesburg, Nyttend, Public domain
- Knox County Jail, Knoxville, Nyttend, Public domain
- Carl Sandburg State Historic Site Galesburg Illinois USA 09082018 5, Robert Haugland, CC BY-SA 4.0
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