The Old Market House, constructed in 1845-1846, was the focal point of community life during Galena's heyday. The greek revival Old Market House sheltered vendors and shoppers, who gathered in the heart of the river city's business district until 1910. Ownership of the building was transferred to the State of Illinois in 1947, and the Old Market House was restored in 1955. Today the Old Market House State Historic Site is managed by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency and is the scene of many changing exhibits, meetings and special events. More...

The Elihu B. Washburne House at 908 Third Street in Galena was constructed in 1843 in the popular Greek Revival style and enlarged sixteen years later to its present size. Elihu Washburne (1816-1887), a prominent Galena attorney and later a U.S. congressman (1853-1869), political adviser to Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant, and ambassador to France (1869-1877), occupied the house with his family until 1882. Only one other family, the Sheehan family, owned the house until 1968, when it was purchased by the State of Illinois. Today the house is a state historic site managed by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. More...