Old Market House (Galena, Illinois) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Old Market House
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | 123 North Commerce Street, Galena, Jo Daviess County, Illinois |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1845 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000707 |
| Added to NRHP | July 16, 1973 |
The Old Market House is a historic brick building in Galena, Illinois. It was built way back in 1845. Today, it's known as the Galena Welcome Center. This building shows off a cool design style called Greek Revival. It's owned by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency and is a special Illinois State Historic Site.
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A Busy Community Hub
The Old Market House was built to be a very important place for the people of Galena. It served two main purposes: it was the city's city hall and a busy public market. Imagine a place where you could buy fresh food and also go to take care of city business!
Why Galena Needed a Market
In the 1830s and 1840s, Galena was growing super fast! Lots of people moved there because a special kind of lead ore, also called galena, was found in the area. With more people, there was a huge need for fresh food grown nearby. The Old Market House helped meet this demand.
How the Market Worked
The building had twelve special stalls inside where farmers could sell their goods. They paid a rent of US$50 each year. This money helped keep the building in good shape. The city raised the US$2,500 needed to build the market by selling shares of stock for $5 each. If a seller couldn't get a stall inside, they could still sell their products in the market square right outside the building.
Changes Over Time
The Old Market House was a central part of Galena life until about 1910. But things started to change.
The Rise of Cars and Stores
As more and more families bought cars, they could travel further to shop. This meant people started buying food from different places. Also, local grocery stores began to pop up. These stores paid taxes to the city, and they didn't like having the Old Market House as a competitor. Around 1910, the market stalls inside the Old Market House closed down.
New Purpose for an Old Building
The city offices moved out of the Old Market House in 1938. This left the old building empty. In 1947, the city gave the building to the state of Illinois.
Restoration and New Life
By 1954, the Old Market House was starting to show its age. It was carefully rebuilt and restored to fix any damage. Today, the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency uses the building as a visitor information center. It's also a museum where you can learn about the local social history of Galena. It's a great place to start your visit and learn about the past!
