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
Before there were grand homes on Park Avenue, before Main Street was lined with shops, and before Galena became the beautiful little city we know and love, there were a handful of brave souls who saw something worth believing in along the banks of the Fever River.
One of those men was Amos Farrar.
Our tenth and final stop on A Stroll Through Time brings us to the Amos Farrar House at 401 Park Avenue, built in 1824 and one of the oldest homes in Galena!
Nearly two centuries ago, Amos arrived in a place that looked nothing like the Galena we know today. As a fur trader, he helped establish one of our earliest trading posts and witnessed the very beginnings of our community.
But Amos's story is about so much more than the founding of a town. Behind his pioneering spirit was a man who knew love, endured unimaginable heartbreak, and faced some of the most uncertain days in Galena's early history.
What happened to the family he loved so dearly? And what was life really like in those early days, when the future of this little settlement was anything but certain?
We won't give away his story. Some things are best heard from the man himself.
A very special thank you to Galena's own Ron Jenkins for his beautiful portrayal of Amos Farrar. We couldn't imagine a more touching way to conclude our journey through Galena's remarkable past.
Join Galena's Living History Alliance for A Stroll Through Time on Saturday, October 17th, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Groups will depart approximately every 10 minutes from the pavilion at Grant Park, located at Park Avenue and Jackson Street. Along the way, you'll meet some of Galena's former residents as their stories come to life on the sidewalks in front of ten historic homes.
Admission is a $10 donation, and children under 18 are free. Tickets will be available at the pavilion on the day of the event.
And when our stroll comes to an end, we hope you'll carry a little piece of their stories home with you, remembering that the Galena we love today began with the hopes, dreams, sacrifices, and lives of those who came before us.
What if we told you that one man had a hand in shaping some of the most beautiful homes along Galena's Park Avenue? His name appears again and again in the history of this neighborhood, yet how much do we really know about the gentleman behind it all?
Our ninth stop on A Stroll Through Time brings us to the Otis Horton House at 309 Park Avenue, built in 1870.
Otis Skinner Horton was a carpenter, builder, lumber merchant, and even a Galena alderman. He was a man who knew his way around both a construction site and City Hall!
But how did one man come to leave such a remarkable mark on our little river town? What connections did he have to the families who lived along Park Avenue? And what might he have to say about the beautiful homes he helped bring to life?
As you make your way along our stroll, listen carefully. You'll hear his name more than once before you finally reach his own front door. And when you do, you'll have the opportunity to hear his story from the gentleman himself!
Join Galena's Living History Alliance for A Stroll Through Time on Saturday, October 17th, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Groups will depart approximately every 10 minutes from the pavilion at Grant Park, located at Park Avenue and Jackson Street. Along the way, you'll meet some of Galena's former residents as their stories come to life on the sidewalks in front of ten historic homes.
Admission is a $10 donation, and children under 18 are free. Tickets will be available at the pavilion on the day of the event.
Some men leave their names in the history books. Others leave their handiwork on nearly every street corner. Come meet one of Galena's own!
Another wonderful addition to our little team, and another reason we're breathing a little easier these days!
Today, we'd like to introduce one of Galena's Living History Alliance's newest members, Viccy Kemp!
Viccy's love affair with Galena began long before she ever became a member of our organization. Her grandparents lived in Elizabeth, her aunt and uncle farmed in Jo Daviess County, and she spent her childhood summers visiting the family farm and traveling back and forth through Galena. When her brother and his wife moved here in the 1990s, she had even more reason to visit. Today, she calls Galena her favorite little town in the world!
And wait until you hear about her background!
Viccy graduated from Austin College and went on to earn a master's degree in International Relations in Washington, D.C. After returning to Texas and working in a public library, she discovered another passion and went back to school for a master's degree in Library Science.
She spent the next 25 years as a public librarian, selecting books for four different library systems! Although she's now retired, she continues to share her knowledge by teaching graduate students at Texas Woman's University.
And now she's sharing some of that wonderful experience with US!
As many of you know, our historic plaque program has grown tremendously, and with each new plaque comes the opportunity to uncover an entire family's story.
Here's a little something you might not know about how our research binder program works.
We're making our way through our list of plaqued homes, beginning with the very first one. When it's a homeowner's turn, we contact them to see if they'd like to order a personalized historical research binder for their home.
And that's when the real detective work begins!
Our researchers spend countless hours searching old newspapers, census records, obituaries, family histories, and other historical documents. Sometimes a single binder takes months to complete, especially when an unexpected discovery sends us searching in an entirely new direction.
For quite some time, Eva Ott-Kromphardt and Mike Jones have carried much of this enormous workload. As our list of homes has grown, so has the amount of research waiting to be done.
Thankfully, we've recently welcomed both Mike Fertig and Viccy Kemp to our research team, and we couldn't be happier!
With Viccy's years of library experience, her research skills, and her lifelong affection for Galena, she's a wonderful addition to our organization.
Viccy, thank you for so generously sharing your time and talents with us. We know how much Galena means to you, and we're delighted to have someone who shares our enthusiasm for uncovering the stories of the people who came before us.
And to Eva, Mike Jones, Mike Fertig, and Viccy Kemp, thank you for all the hours you devote to preserving our history. We truly couldn't do this without you.
Because somewhere in an old newspaper, a forgotten photograph, or a family record is another wonderful Galena story just waiting for someone like Viccy to discover it!
We’re on YouTube
See our latest YouTube videos here for insights into Galena’s history and more from our historians.
