Galena, Illinois called Galena "La Pointe" and early Americans adopted this name as "The Point". Early documentation officially records the name as "Fever River", an early name for the Galena River, though it does not appear that this name was commonly used. George Davenport, a retired colonel in the United States Army, successfully shipped Galena's first boatload of lead ore down the Mississippi River in 1816. Three years later, Jesse W. Shull built a trading post. The Thomas H. January family, who arrived in 1821 from Maysville, Kentucky, are considered the first permanent American settlers. The next year, the US Department of
The Galena Territory, Illinois The Galena Territory, Illinois The Galena Territory is a census-designated place in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, United States. Its population was 1,058 as of the 2010 census. The community consists of a private development located several miles southeast of downtown Galena. The Territory, which is managed by a homeowners association, has set aside of protected recreational land. The remainder is filled with low-density residential development and Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa. As of August 2017, there were 4,082 property owners, 554 permanent residences, and 1,675 vacation residences. The community includes an owners’ club, which houses recreational facilities for property owners