Galena’s Living History Alliance
Galena’s Living History Alliance is a local non-profit organization focusing on the history of Galena honoring it by researching the history of our participating homes, placing plaques identifying the date of construction, name and occupation of the original owner and telling the stories of the first owners.
Showcasing Galena’s historic homes
Architectural style
Over 200 homes in the GLHA plaque program showcase many exquisite architectural styles. From Italianate to Gothic Revival, Victorian, Federal and more these homes offer a glimpse into the past that cannot be experienced anywhere else.
Notable residents
Discover the many influential figures who once called our plaqued homes their own. Miners, generals, farmers and shopkeepers all called Galena home and shaped it into what it has become today.
Living history
Experience the past come to life as you explore each home’s unique story and the role of its owners in Galena’s history. Today we honor and recognize those pioneers with the beautiful plaques on their homes.
Plaque Program
Historic House Plaque Program
The Galena Living History Alliance (GLHA) is dedicated to preserving and celebrating the architectural heritage of Galena and Jo Daviess County. Our primary initiative, the Historic House Plaque Program, increases public awareness and appreciation of the area’s historic homes and buildings.
Is my home eligible for a historic plaque?
Any home built before 1930 is eligible for inclusion in the program. Over 200 buildings are currently in the GLHA plaque program. They range from log cabins, commercial buildings, stunning Italinates, and cozy miners’ cottages to stately Victorians.
A few examples of the architectural styles in the GLHA program.
William Reinwald House, 1847, Log cabin home
Charles Lowes House, c.1852, Miner’s cottage
RIchard seal house, 1871, Italianate
August J. Millhouse House, 1899, Victorian
Latest news from our blog
The Living History Walk is nearly here!
The Galena Living History Alliance and the Galena Center for[…]
See our latest Facebook posts.
We update our Facebook page regularly with information about our homes, businesses and churches participating in the GLHA historic plaque program. Scroll down on the posts to see the latest posts.
Galena's Living History Alliance
A window into Galena's historic truth
When we first approached the Galena Center for the Arts about collaborating on our very first Stroll Through Time, we had no idea just how fortunate we were to have Carole Sullivan say yes!
Carole took our amazing group of volunteer actors under her wing, spending hours rehearsing with them, helping them learn how to bring their characters to life and preparing them for a very long day of performances.
And she didn't stop there! She helped bring actors in, with costuming, arranged for costumes to be borrowed from the Center's collection, and helped spread the word about our event through the Center's newsletter and social media.
Thirty hours of rehearsals alone! Think about that for a minute .That's an extraordinary amount of time to give to someone else's dream.
We went into this hoping to tell the stories of Galena's beautiful old homes and the first people who lived in them. Carole helped us turn those stories into something our visitors could actually experience.
Carole, we cannot thank you enough. Your generosity, your knowledge of theater, and your willingness to jump into something none of us had attempted before made such a big difference.
And to the Galena Center for the Arts, thank you for believing in what we were trying to accomplish and for being such a wonderful partner.
Our first Stroll Through Time is now a wonderful memory, but thanks to people like Carole, we're already looking forward to making the next one even better.
Saturday, June 26th, we'll be bringing another part of Galena's history to life. And we couldn't be happier to have Carole along for the journey!
It was so fun watching someone bring the original owner of his own home back to life.
Our heartfelt thanks to Cory Richardson, owner and innkeeper of The Painted Cat of Galena at 200 Park Avenue, for portraying William Ridd, who emigrated from England and made his home here in Galena.
Cory helped us share the story of a man who once called those very walls home. We are so grateful he was part of our first A Stroll Through Time!
Enjoy this short clip of his performance, and mark your calendars for Saturday, June 26th, when we’ll bring more of Galena’s plaqued homes to life at a different location in town. More homes, more voices, and more history waiting to be told!
For one beautiful day, Michele Sullivan helped us imagine the woman who once called the John Hannan House home.
Her amazing portrayal of Annette Hannan, wife of stone mason John Hannan, brought warmth and life to the story of this home, built in 1848. Standing outside an old house is one thing. Hearing its story through the voice of someone who lived there makes it feel personal.
We are so grateful to Michele for generously giving her time and talent to our Stroll Through Time. These stories mean so much to us, and watching her help others connect with them was a gift.
Enjoy this little glimpse of her performance. Thank you, Michele, for helping us remember the people behind the beautiful homes.
Before we share more performances from A Stroll Through Time, we want to recognize two gentlemen whose work helped make those stories possible: our historians, Dale Glick and Craig Albaugh.
Sometimes, researching a single house takes more than a month. What year was it built? Who first owned it? Who lived there, and how did they earn their living? Those answers take patience, persistence, and many phone calls between our historians and group members before they ever become the binders and performance scripts we share with you.
You may not see Dale and Craig in the performance clips, but their work is woven into the stories you hear. Long before an actor steps forward, they have been working to uncover the lives behind those old walls.
Dale and Craig, you deserve our deepest gratitude. Thank you for giving so much of yourselves to make sure the people who came before us are remembered. Every round of applause belongs to you, too.
We’re on YouTube
See our latest YouTube videos here for insights into Galena’s history and more from our historians.
