Landmark Cafe & Creperie
Photo courtesy of Phil Dickinson
MiDwEsT
Chez Willy's on Seminary Street
Photo courtesy of Kent Kreigshauser Photography
Chez Willy's on Seminary Street
Photo courtesy of Kent Kreigshauser Photography
Galesburg, IL
Downtown Galesburg is an ever-
changing landscape of cool. While
many small cities have declining busi-
ness districts, ours is alive and well.
There are over 20 locally-owned
restaurants that provide everything
from farm to table to sushi.
Our downtown boasts a rich arts
community that is closely aligned with
Knox College, a prestigious Liberal
Arts institution with an international
appeal. Because of Knox’s influence
we have the Knox Galesburg Sym-
phony, the Rootabaga Jazz Festival,
Nova Singers, the Galesburg Civic Art
Center, two box theatres and “Gales-
burg’s Jewel,” the Orpheum Theatre.
From Monday to Sunday, our com-
munity is alive with a rich music scene
that rivals any throughout America.
From eye-opening “open mics” to
artists from around the world, Gales-
burg is always filled with quality music
covering the spectrums of genres.
Leading movements is not new to
Galesburg. The first abolitionist soci-
ety in Illinois was founded in Gales-
burg. In 1858, the 5th Lincoln-Douglas
Debate happened in Galesburg to a
crowd of over 15,000. And, President
William McKinley held the only cabi-
net meeting to ever happen outside
of Washington D. C. at the Clark E.
Carr House in 1891. Galesburg is
also the birthplace of three-time
Pulitzer Prize-winning Lincoln biog-
rapher and poet, Carl Sandburg.
His ashes are interred under Re-
membrance Rock in the garden of
the birthplace site.
Our downtown boasts the wonder-
ful Discovery Depot Children’s mu-
seum, the Galesburg Railroad
Museum and Seminary Street His-
toric Shopping District. From an-
tiques to free-trade coffee this
district within our downtown has a
unique flavor. Best of all, our down-
town is served by four round-trip
trains a day to Chicago and two
trains that can take you all the way
to California. Designated by Con-
gress as the sight of the National
Railroad Hall of Fame, our down-
town will be thriving for decades to
come.