Dozen Distinctive Destinations
Galena, IL
Year Listed: 2004
Native Americans called the land around Galena (pop. 3,600) "Manitoomie," which means "Sacred Ground" or "God's Country." They mined rich deposits of lead ore here long before French explorers discovered the mineral treasure in the late 1600s. More than a century later, people from around the world flocked to the area in America's first full-scale mineral rush. As fortunes were amassed, architectural masterpieces dotted Galena, which soon became the busiest Mississippi River port between St. Louis and St. Paul. But even as local resident Ulysses S. Grant led the Union to victory in the Civil War, the town's fortunes fell. Galena slept like Rip Van Winkle until the 1960s, when the town was rediscovered and its cache of 19th-century treasures was lovingly restored. Notable attractions include the Vinegar Hill Historic Leadmine and Museum, which dates back to 1822. The 1857 mansion of J. Russell Jones is furnished with a diverse collection of Victorian pieces, items from Liberace's estate and the famous green drapes from Gone with The Wind. Children will enjoy nearby Crystal Lake Cave with its stalactites, stalagmites and crystal-clear underground lake. And Civil War buffs shouldn't miss the U.S. Grant Home, presented to the general by his grateful fellow townspeople in 1867. "There is no doubt that Galena is a truly distinctive destination," said National Trust President Richard Moe. "It is a charming town with a rich heritage that stretches back many centuries and, perhaps most important, it has a strong commitment to preservation that has kept much of that heritage alive."
