Galena, Illinois time. The city emerged as the largest steamboat hub on the Mississippi River north of St. Louis, Missouri. Galena was the home of Ulysses S. Grant and eight other Civil War generals. Today, the city is a tourist destination known for its history, architecture, and resorts. The city is named for galena, the natural form of lead sulfide (PbS) and the most important lead ore. Native Americans mined the ore for use in burial rituals. The Havana Hopewell first traded galena in the area during the Middle Woodland period (c. 1–400 CE). However, the use of galena in the Havana
Galena Historic District Places. The Galena Historic District contains more than 1,000 buildings constructed before 1900 that are considered contributing properties. The center of downtown Galena is laid out in three parallel segmental tiers starting at Main Street closest to the river. Beyond Main Street, and at a higher elevation, are Bench and Prospect Streets. Main Street forms the primary commercial strip through Galena and is lined with buildings two, three, and four stories tall. Most of Main Street's structures are built of red brick and cast in Federal style of the simple commercial style of the 1840s. On Bench Street, most of