This Illinois Town Has The Biggest Heart
Galena, Illinois, is the kind of place that would make the perfect setting for an upbeat, inspirational movie with timeless American themes. It is also the kind of place where a retired right fielder for the 1905 New York Giants could turn to a visitor and say, “This is my most special place in all the world … Once a place touches you like this, the wind never blows so cold again.”
We know this big-hearted community is such a place because that line was spoken in what is today the office of Galena Chiropractic, by actor Burt Lancaster playing baseball player “Moonlight” Graham in the 1989 Hollywood classic, Field of Dreams.
The scene was one of many filmed in Galena, recast in the movie as the fictional town of Chisholm, Minnesota. Here, on Main Street, Broadway Street, and Bench Street, Lancaster, James Earl Jones, and Kevin Costner added rich dimension and depth to their characters against the gorgeous backdrop of Galena’s frozen-in-time Americana.
American Classic
In many ways, Galena is an open-air museum of Americana. Field of Dreams’ buoyant optimism dovetails seamlessly with the community, which remembers the people, values, and industriousness that made it great.
Among the most celebrated figures is Ulysses S. Grant, who was working in his father’s leather goods shop on Main Street when the shelling of Fort Sumter ignited the Civil War. He quickly organized a local militia and, within three years, was commanding general of the Union forces. After the war, he returned to Galena until he was called once again to leadership, this time as President of the United States.
The Galena that Grant knew lives on in the downtown core, where the majority of buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In addition to the Ulysses S. Grant Home, examples include the Old Market House, Dowling House, the Meusel Cigar Factory, and the Elihu Benjamin Washburne House, home of a prominent Civil War-era congressman. At the north end of Main Street is the DeSoto House Hotel, whose magnificent Renaissance Revival interior has made it a favorite tourist destination, and an obvious choice for a Field of Dreams cameo.
Organized tours are a great way to explore this time-curated landscape. Choices range from the Field of Dreams Walking Tour and Galena Trolley Tours to the Galena History Hunt, where families look for clues that lead to discoveries of Galena’s historical treasures.
Tides of Fortune
Downtown sits along the banks of the Galena River. Protected from the river’s excesses by an earthen levee, the business district is also a reflection of the cascade of economic abundance the waterway made possible in the antebellum period, when Galena was a vital transportation hub for the lead mining industry. In fact, Galena is not just the town’s name; it’s also the technical term for the natural mineral form of lead sulfide.
Even as mineral wealth fueled Galena’s prosperity, the decline of lead mining in the region gave the community a new identity — a close-knit community of residents who stayed not to get rich, but to live among friends in a quiet and beautifully authentic place.
Tourists notice this spirit of neighborliness at every turn. Local businesses are mostly independently owned, with proprietors who love to share stories, recommendations, and the occasional tall tale with visitors. Many tourists stay in one of the historic inns or charming bed and breakfasts, where Galena’s welcoming spirit is on full display.
Family-Friendly Celebrations
Galena’s big heart can also be found in its celebrations and festivals. Its most popular annual event is the Great Galena Balloon Race, where townspeople and tourists alike gather on a green hillside to watch roughly two dozen balloons sail to the finish line in a competition that has raised hundreds of thousands for children with diabetes.
A highlight of the three-day festival is an evening “balloon glow,” when pilots fire their burners to create a panoramic display of tethered lanterns, the colorful patterns flickering against the star-flecked night sky.
As the seasons turn, residents continue their spirited celebrations with the Galena Cellars Fall Harvest Festival, Galena Oktoberfest, the Galena Country Fair, and the quirky Galena Halloween Parade & Festival, a frightful event its promoters describe as one of the largest parades in the Tri-State area.
Scenes of Orange Leaves and Scarlet Tanagers
Galena’s character draws much from its history, but also from the splendor of the surrounding countryside. Unlike the mostly flat topography of what is aptly called The Prairie State, the northwestern corner of Illinois features rolling hills, intricately carved valleys, and towering bluffs.
It’s an ideal place to enjoy nature, from the vibrant colors of autumn foliage to a spectacular assortment of birds, including blue jays, mourning doves, red-bellied woodpeckers, great blue herons, scarlet tanagers, and bald eagles. This beautiful region is also a magnet for wine connoisseurs and lovers of farm-to-table dining.
Across a broad spectrum of parks and preserves, outdoor enthusiasts hike, bike, kayak, and canoe through revitalizing emerald-green vistas. Apple River Canyon State Park is a tourist favorite, as well as Casper Bluff Land & Water Reserve, Horseshoe Mound Preserve, Wapello Land & Water Reserve, Big Sky Nature Reserve, Galena River Trail, and Galena Gateway Park.
Galena’s Enduring Legacy
Galena’s character continues to reflect its history and surroundings. The town honors its most famous resident, Ulysses S. Grant, and its role in the nation’s growth. More than a century later, Galena also appeared in Field of Dreams, a film that highlighted many of the same values found here—community, reflection, and optimism. Visitors experience this continuity in the preserved streets, historic homes, and welcoming atmosphere that define the town today.
