52nd annual Historic Tour of Homes set for September 28-29 in Galena

The 52nd annual Galena-Jo Daviess County Historical Society’s Historic Tour of Homes will take place Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 28-29. The tour runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

Homes featured this year include:

Beebe Coach House

611 S. Prospect St., owners Dennis and Judith Miller. Originally a two-story brick building designed to store horses, a carriage, and hay, renovations have been done to make the structure livable.

Lamberson Guest House

113 S. Prospect St., owner Michelle Heurung. The Lamberson House was constructed by D. Harvey Lamberson in the Galena Traditional style in 1870. The home was purchased and restored by the current owner as a bed and breakfast to include private baths in all four bedrooms and new plumbing and electric throughout. The Lamberson House was awarded the 2017 Jo Mead Historic Preservation Award.

Spare House

113 S. Dodge St., owners Mike and Milly Jones. James Spare grew up in Mass., where he operated as a housewright before moving to Galena. Once here, James built houses before opening a lumber yard. In 1846, he used local Galena bricks to craft a late-Federal-style home at the corner of Dodge and Mars. The house was one of the first built on “the hill” over the city. It predates even the mansions on Prospect Street.

Wadleigh House

1007 Franklin St., owners Chuck and Denise Spielman. The Wadleigh home was originally built on Bouthillier Street circa 1875 across from the U.S. Grant Home. Harold and Jane Foecking bought and moved the home to Franklin Street, where it remains today. Two rooms had to be removed from the house for the move. The home was restored in the early 2000s. The current owners have been in the home for the last 14 years.

Stillman Mansion

513 Bouthillier St., owner Galena-Jo Daviess County Historical Society. Nelson Stillman, a merchant in Galena since 1837, built his two-story brick Italianate mansion in 1858. The building was used as a single-family home for three families from 1859-1933. It was converted into a nursing home for 26 years. From the 1970s until 2017, the mansion served as a guest house with outbuildings, like the Medieval Banquet Hall/Wedding Chapel to the east of the building, offering meals, drinks, and entertainment. The Galena-Jo Daviess County Historical Society purchased the Stillman property and neighboring Crow property in 2017 to serve as the site of the new museum.

Those who purchase a tour ticket will also receive free admission Saturday or Sunday to the Galena & U.S. Grant Museum, located in the historic Barrows Mansion, 211 S. Bench St.

Tickets for the Tour of Historic Galena Homes are on sale now for $20 per person. Children under 10 are free with an adult. Purchase tickets by phone by calling 815-777-9129, online at galenahistory.org, in person at the museum or the Gateway to History store on Main Street in Galena, or on the day of the event at any of the homes on the tour.

Proceeds from the annual Tour of Historic Galena Homes benefit the Galena-Jo Daviess County Historical Society.