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 former Galena, Illinois Posted by:  iconions
N 42° 24.950 W 090° 25.646
15T E 711667 N 4699153
The Old Market House is a two-story red brick Greek Revival building located at 123 North Commerce Street in Galena, Illinois. This building was the City Hall from 1910 to 1936.
Waymark Code: WM10M70
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 05/26/2019
Views: 2
INFORMATION REGARDING THE BUILDING AND ITS HISTORY:
The MARKET HOUSE, corner of Commerce and Troy Sts., remodeled for use as a city hall, is a Greek revival building erected in 1845 by Henry J. Stouffer. The two-story brick center section is surmounted by a square cupola, which contained offices and a meeting hall. On each side were the market stalls, one story high, with colonnades to shelter the customers. The flagged square on which it faces was the old public market, where all commodities were bought and sold, including slaves.
- Illinois: A Descriptive and Historical Guide, 1939 -- pg. 339
Built of red brick with stone lintels and wood trim and cornices. The central portion is two stories high, with the town council chamber on the second floor and offices below. The wings hold the large market halls, with colonnaded porches on both sides and a wide pedimented roof. The total effect is extremely interesting in its contrasts of color and of form, and even the cupola that crowns it has a definite individuality in the handling of the pedimentlike parapets with corner acroteria and a square dome above them.
It (Old Market House) was used as a public market house, city council chamber, city jail, and gathering place for local organizations, and was in the custody of a market master. 1910 marked the end of its use as a market house and for the next 26 years it was occupied by the city government and fire department. After being threatened with destruction, the historic building was sold by the City of Galena to the State of Illinois in 1947. Presently maintained by the Illinois Department of Conservation, Division of Parks and Memorials, it has been restored to its exterior appearance of 1846 and houses historical and architectural exhibits.
- National Register Application
Current name: Galena Welcome Center/Old Market House
Architect: Thomas Blish, Architect
Builder: H. J. Stouffer, Builder
Style: Greek Revival. Cupola; Wings
Historical Summary: Market stalls were located on the lower level. The City Council Chamber was on the second level.
Architectural Description: This is a 2-story meetinghouse in the Greek Revival style built in 1845-46. The foundation is limestone. Exterior walls are brick; wood clapboard/siding. The building has a side and front gable roof clad in metal. Windows are original or historic wood 6/6 fixed; double. The porch is original, Full-width, one-story; Wood materials; Classical supports. Doors are original or historic wood paneled.
- ruskinarc.com Historic Architecture Survey Database
INFORMATION REGARDING THE CITY OF GALENA:
Galena's city architecture reveals a rich history, originating with the Sac and Fox Native Americans Indians who occupied the area. The French settled the area by the late 17th century, American settlers arrived in the early 19th century. Galena was booming in the early 19th century due to a high demand for lead and being the richest lead-bearing region in the world, with the purest quality known, the city's primary income source was lead mining, however by the mid 19th century the demand for lead declined and Galena's population dropped from 14,000 to 3,396 by the late 21st century.
The Galena River being centrally located between St. Louis and St. Paul on the Mississippi River made Galena a hub of steamboat commerce it was once one of the most important cities in Illinois and being the home of General Ulysses S. Grant the city received national attention during the 1860s. Today the Galena River is inaccessible to steamboats due to erosion.
- Welcome to Galena Website
Name: Market House
Address:
123 North Commerce Street
Galena, IL USA
61036
Date of Construction: 1848
Architect: Thomas Blish
Memorials/Commemorations/Dedications:
none
Web Site for City/Town/Municipality: [Web Link]
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