Historic Holiday Homes That Are Beyond Amazing from Galena, Illinois

Welcome to Part Two of viewing historic holiday homes in Galena. I shared the first half of this tour on Monday. We celebrated our family Christmas in this historic town last weekend. Lucky for us, we got a light dusting of snow our first night there, which created a great backdrop for featuring some of the amazing houses.

 

This stunning, Italianate mansion sits on the top of the hill overlooking the quaint town of Galena. A visit to this area makes you feel like you were transported to the early 1800s. The town was the birthplace of Ulysses S. Grant and was the location of the lead mining boom that brought a good deal of wealth to those who lived here.

 

The decline in the lead mining industry and the introduction of the Gold Rush led to people leaving Galena. Galena now enjoys a healthy tourist economy. It boasts Grant’s home, which is open to the public, and the DeSoto Hotel where both Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas spoke during their presidential campaigns. And of course, you’ll find plenty of charming homes on both sides of the river that runs through the town.

 

Some of the homes were simply decorated for the holidays, like this red brick duplex that sports a pair of wreaths on each dwelling’s door. This historic holiday home doesn’t need much embellishment since the red brick and green shutters feature the class colors of Christmas.

 

Look closely and you’ll see the subtle holiday decorations through the corner windows of this home in the historic district. It looks like the clapboard section of the house was added on to the original brick area.

 

I love the combination of limestone and brick on the home’s exterior.

 

Not all of the homes are large or stately. You’ll find several quaint cottages throughout town, too.

 

Glaciers flattened a large portion of Illinois, but the northwest corner of the state, where Galena is located, was left untouched. It’s one of the few areas in northern Illinois that’s hilly. If you want an exercise challenge, be sure to climb the stairs that lead from downtown up the hill to the mansions and surrounding historic homes.

 

Galena enjoys a wide range of brick homes, from small to large. Some with expansive porches, some without.

 

This charming brick home is painted red – perfect for Christmas in Galena.

 

Not all of the homes in this Illinois town are brick, although you’ll find plenty of them. This yellow bungalow enjoys an ample wrap around porch with white wicker furniture.

 

Here’s another clapboard holiday home festooned with garland and bows, Paint brings attention to the details of the porch posts.

 

A pair of white reindeer grace the front yard of this smaller home on the hill. I love the wooden front door – it makes me want to strip the paint off my own front door.

 

And finally, another stately historic home with a pair of chimneys at either end. A door on the second floor leads to the balcony above the screened front porch. A beautiful wrought iron fence wraps it all together (and provides safety from falling from the yard over the stone wall).

 

Have you ever visited Galena, Illinois? It’s worth a trip if you’re ever in the area.