Galena, Illinois

 city, county seat

City with a population of 3,308 in 2020. County seat of Jo Daviess County. Originally inhabited by Sac and Fox Native Americans. It is named for the mineral "galena" which is an important lead ore mineral found naturally in the area that indicates a potential for lead mining. The Sac and Fox used it for body paint, and when the French discovered it here in the 1690s they began to settle in the area and mine for lead. After the area was transferred to the United States, Galena became a major lead mining and shipping center due to its proximity to the Mississippi River, producing nearly 80 percent of the country's lead by 1845. Ulysses S. Grant and eight other Union generals lived here at some point in their lives. After the fall in demand for lead, Galena's population was 3,308 in 2020