View source for Galesburg, Illinois

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Redirect|Galesburg}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Galesburg, Illinois
| settlement_type    = [[List of cities in Illinois|City]]
| image_skyline      = {{multiple image
| border      = infobox
| total_width = 280
| perrow      = 1/2/2
| caption_align            = center
| image1                   = Main Street Looking East, Galesburg, Illinois.jpg
| caption1                 = Downtown Galesburg
| image2                   = Old Main Knox College.jpg
| caption2                 = [[Knox College (Illinois)|Knox College]]
| image3                   = Carl Sandburg State Historic Site Galesburg Illinois USA 09082018 5.jpg
| caption3                 = [[Carl Sandburg State Historic Site]]
| image4 = Galesburg Station P6081307 (cropped).JPG
| caption4 = [[Galesburg station|Galesburg Amtrak Station]]
|image5 = Central Congregational Church in Galesburg.jpg
| caption5 = [[Central Congregational Church (Galesburg, Illinois)|Central Congregational Church]]
}}
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = 
| etymology          = 
| nicknames          = 
| motto              = 
| anthem             = 
| image_map          = File:Knox County Illinois Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Galesburg Highlighted.svg
| map_caption        = Location of Galesburg in Knox County, Illinois
| pushpin_map        = Illinois#USA
| pushpin_label      = Galesburg
| pushpin_relief     = yes
| coordinates        = {{coord|40|57|08|N|90|21|10|W|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| grid_name          = 
| grid_position      = 
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = State
| subdivision_name1  = Illinois
| subdivision_type2  = County
| subdivision_name2  = [[Knox County, Illinois|Knox]]
| subdivision_type3  = Township
| subdivision_name3  = [[Galesburg City Township, Knox County, Illinois|Galesburg City]]
| subdivision_type4  = 
| subdivision_name4  = 
| established_title  = Founded
| established_date   = 1837
| founder            = George Washington Gale
| named_for          = 
| seat_type          = 
| seat               = 
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = Council-Manager
| governing_body     = 
| leader_party       = 
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = Peter Schwartzman ([[Green Party (United States)|G]])<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.galesburg.com/story/news/politics/elections/2021/04/06/schwartzman-wins-galesburgs-mayoral-race/7112106002/|title=Mayor - Mayor - Peter Schwartzman - City of Galesburg, IL|website=www.galesburg.com/|access-date=7 April 2021}}</ref>
| leader_title1      = Mayor
| leader_name1       = 
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_17.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=March 15, 2022}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 46.45
| area_total_sq_mi   = 17.94
| area_land_km2      = 45.99
| area_land_sq_mi    = 17.76
| area_water_km2     = 0.46
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.18
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 771
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 30052
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| pop_est_footnotes  = 
| population_est     = 
| population_rank    = 
| population_density_km2 = 653.38
| population_density_sq_mi = 1692.21
| timezone1          = [[North American Central Time Zone|CST]]
| utc_offset1        = &minus;6
| timezone1_DST      = [[North American Central Time Zone|CDT]]
| utc_offset1_DST    = &minus;5
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 61401
| area_code          = [[Area code 309#United States|309]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 17-28326
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2394842<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2394842}}</ref>
| blank2_name        = 
| blank2_info        = 
| blank2_name_sec2   = Wikimedia Commons
| blank2_info_sec2   = Galesburg, Illinois
| website            = {{URL|www.ci.galesburg.il.us}}
}}

'''Galesburg''' is a city in [[Knox County, Illinois]], United States. The city is {{convert|45|mi}} northwest of [[Peoria, Illinois|Peoria]]. At the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], its population was 30,052.<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web| url=http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US1728326| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Galesburg city, Illinois| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American Factfinder| access-date=February 25, 2019}}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Galesburg is known as the home of [[Knox College (Illinois)|Knox College]], a private four-year liberal arts college, and [[Carl Sandburg College]], a community college named for native-born poet [[Carl Sandburg]].

Galesburg is the [[county seat]] of Knox County<ref name="GR6">{{cite web |title=Find a County |url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=2011-05-31 |access-date=2011-06-07 |publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> and the principal city of the [[Galesburg micropolitan area|Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area]], which includes all of Knox and [[Warren County, Illinois|Warren]] counties. A {{convert|496|acre|ha|adj=on}} section of the city is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] as the [[Galesburg Historic District]].

==History==
Galesburg was founded by [[George Washington Gale]], a Presbyterian minister from [[New York (state)|New York]] state who had formulated the concept of the [[manual labor college]] and first implemented it at the [[Oneida Institute]] near [[Utica, New York|Utica]], New York. In 1836 Gale publicized a subscription- and land purchase-based plan to found [[manual labor college]]s in the [[Mississippi River]] valley.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gale |first=George Washington |date=1836 |title=Circular and Plan |url=https://www.knox.edu/about-knox/our-history/circular-and-plan |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141215010317/https://www.knox.edu/about-knox/our-history/circular-and-plan |archive-date=December 15, 2014 |website=Knox College}}</ref> Land was purchased for this purpose in [[Knox County, Illinois|Knox County]] and in 1837 the first subscribers to the college-founding plan arrived and began to settle what became Galesburg.<ref name=":1">{{cite web |last=Forssberg |first=Grant |title=The Origins of Knox College |url=https://www.knox.edu/about-knox/our-history/perspectives-on-knox-history/origins-of-knox-college |access-date=October 15, 2019 |publisher=Knox College}}</ref>

Populated from the start by abolitionists, Galesburg was home to one of Illinois's first [[abolitionism|anti-slavery]] societies and a stop on the [[Underground Railroad]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Underground Railroad Freedom Station – Galesburg Colony at Knox College |url=https://www.knox.edu/about-knox/our-history/knox-and-galesburg-history/underground-railroad |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100601171751/http://www.knox.edu/x12131.xml |archive-date=June 1, 2010 |access-date=March 20, 2022 |website=Knox College}}</ref> On October 7, 1858, the city was the site of the fifth [[Lincoln–Douglas debates|Lincoln–Douglas debate]]. Galesburg was also the home of [[Mary Ann Bickerdyke|Mary Ann "Mother" Bickerdyke]], who provided hospital care for [[Union Army|Union]] soldiers during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]].

Galesburg is the birthplace of poet [[Carl Sandburg]], artist [[Dorothea Tanning]], and former [[Major League Baseball]] star [[Jim Sundberg]]. The [[Illinois Historic Preservation Agency]] maintains Sandburg's boyhood home as the [[Carl Sandburg State Historic Site]]. It includes the cottage where he was born, a modern museum, the rock under which he and his wife Lilian are buried, and a performance venue.

For much of its history, Galesburg was inextricably tied to the [[railroad]] industry. Local businessmen were major backers of the first railroad to connect Illinois's then two biggest cities—[[Chicago]] and [[Quincy, Illinois|Quincy]]—as well as a third leg initially terminating across the [[Mississippi River]] from [[Burlington, Iowa]], and eventually connecting to it via bridge and thence onward to the Western frontier. The [[Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad]] (CB&Q) sited major rail sorting yards here, including the first to use [[hump yard|hump sorting]]. The CB&Q also built a major [[Galesburg station (Amtrak)#History|depot]] on South Seminary Street that was controversially torn down and replaced by a much smaller [[Galesburg station (Amtrak)|station]] in 1983. The [[BNSF Railway]] still uses the [[Galesburg Yard|yard]].

[[File:BNSF Galesburg.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|A BNSF train passes through central Galesburg near the site of the [[Galesburg Station (Santa Fe)|former Santa Fe depot]].]]

In the late 19th century, when the [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway]] connected its service through to Chicago, it also laid track through Galesburg and built [[Galesburg Station (Santa Fe)|its own railroad depot]]. The depot remained in operation until the construction of the [[Cameron Connector]] southwest of town<ref>{{cite news |author=Cherrington |first=Rex |date=June 20, 1996 |title=Did Galesburg businessmen really need to pay to bring the Santa Fe Railway to Town? |url=http://www.thezephyr.com/archives/santafe.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717043939/http://www.thezephyr.com/archives/santafe.htm |archive-date=July 17, 2011 |access-date=February 16, 2011 |newspaper=The Zephyr}}</ref> enabled [[Amtrak]] to reroute the ''[[Southwest Chief]]'' via the Mendota Subdivision and join the ''[[California Zephyr]]'' and ''[[Illinois Zephyr]]'' at the Burlington Northern depot. A series of mergers eventually united both lines under BNSF's ownership, carrying an average of seven freight trains per hour between them. Since the 2004 closure of the [[Maytag]] plant, BNSF is once again Galesburg's largest private employer.

Galesburg was home to the pioneering [[Brass Era car|brass era]] automobile company [[Western Tool Works (automobile company)|Western]], which produced the Gale, named for the town.<ref>Clymer, Floyd. ''Treasury of Early American Automobiles, 1877-1925'' (New York: Bonanza Books, 1950), p.51.</ref>

Galesburg was home to [[minor league baseball]] from 1890 to 1914. The [[Galesburg Pavers]] was the last name of the minor league team based there. Galesburg teams played as members of the [[Eastern Iowa League]] (1895), [[Central Interstate League]] (1890), [[Illinois-Iowa League]] (1890), [[Illinois-Missouri League]] (1908–1909), and [[Central Association]] (1910–1912, 1914).{{citation needed|date=July 2022}}

[[Baseball Hall of Fame]] members [[Grover Cleveland Alexander]] (1909) and [[Sam Rice]] (1912) played for Galesburg. Rice left the Galesburg team in 1912, when his wife, two children, parents, and two sisters were killed in a tornado. Galesburg teams played at Illinois Field (1908–1912, 1914), [[Lombard College]] Field (1908–1912, 1914) and Willard Field at [[Knox College (Illinois)|Knox College]] (1890, 1895).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=Register Team Encyclopedia|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/593ed95f|title=Sam Rice &#124; Society for American Baseball Research|website=sabr.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.galesburg.com/article/20120416/NEWS/304169953|title=Tom Wilson: Fond memories of Galesburg baseball emporiums|website=The Register-Mail}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.galesburg.com/article/20080611/NEWS/306119891|title=WILSON: Life in Galesburg's minor league baseball|first=Tom|last=Wilson|website=The Register-Mail}}</ref>

[[Lombard College]] was in Galesburg until 1930, and is now the site of Lombard Middle School.

The Carr Mansion at 560 North Prairie Street was the site of a presidential cabinet meeting held in 1899 by U.S. President [[William McKinley]] and U.S. Secretary of State [[John Hay]].

==Geography==
Galesburg is in western Knox County. [[Interstate 74]] runs through the east side of the city, leading southeast {{convert|47|mi}} to [[Peoria, Illinois|Peoria]] and north {{Convert|36|mi}} to [[Interstate 80]] near the [[Quad Cities]] area.

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Galesburg has a total area of {{convert|17.94|sqmi|km2|2}}, of which {{convert|17.76|sqmi|km2|2}} (or 99.01%) is land and {{convert|0.18|sqmi|km2|2}} (or 0.99%) is water.<ref name="gaz2021">{{Cite web |author=US Census Bureau |title=Gazetteer Files |url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html |access-date=2022-06-29 |website=Census.gov}}</ref>

=== Climate ===

{{Weather box
|location = Galesburg, Illinois (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1896–present)
|collapsed = Y
|single line = Y
| Jan record high F = 68
| Feb record high F = 71
| Mar record high F = 86
| Apr record high F = 91
| May record high F = 96
| Jun record high F = 102
| Jul record high F = 112
| Aug record high F = 102
| Sep record high F = 100
| Oct record high F = 94
| Nov record high F = 79
| Dec record high F = 70
| year record high F = 112
| Jan high F = 30.0
| Feb high F = 34.7
| Mar high F = 48.0
| Apr high F = 61.3
| May high F = 72.0
| Jun high F = 81.2
| Jul high F = 84.0
| Aug high F = 82.3
| Sep high F = 76.2
| Oct high F = 63.0
| Nov high F = 48.0
| Dec high F = 35.4
| year high F = 59.7
| Jan mean F = 21.9
| Feb mean F = 26.0
| Mar mean F = 38.0
| Apr mean F = 50.6
| May mean F = 61.8
| Jun mean F = 71.6
| Jul mean F = 74.7
| Aug mean F = 72.8
| Sep mean F = 65.5
| Oct mean F = 52.8
| Nov mean F = 39.0
| Dec mean F = 27.8
| year mean F = 50.2
| Jan low F = 13.8
| Feb low F = 17.3
| Mar low F = 28.1
| Apr low F = 39.9
| May low F = 51.7
| Jun low F = 62.0
| Jul low F = 65.4
| Aug low F = 63.4
| Sep low F = 54.7
| Oct low F = 42.5
| Nov low F = 29.9
| Dec low F = 20.2
| year low F = 40.7
| Jan record low F = −27
| Feb record low F = −28
| Mar record low F = −14
| Apr record low F = 9
| May record low F = 24
| Jun record low F = 36
| Jul record low F = 42
| Aug record low F = 41
| Sep record low F = 19
| Oct record low F = 17
| Nov record low F = -6
| Dec record low F = −22
| year record low F = -28
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 1.69
| Feb precipitation inch = 1.87
| Mar precipitation inch = 2.39
| Apr precipitation inch = 3.83
| May precipitation inch = 5.27
| Jun precipitation inch = 4.58
| Jul precipitation inch = 4.04
| Aug precipitation inch = 3.89
| Sep precipitation inch = 3.85
| Oct precipitation inch = 2.82
| Nov precipitation inch = 2.60
| Dec precipitation inch = 2.14
| year precipitation inch = 38.97
| Jan snow inch = 9.0
| Feb snow inch = 6.6
| Mar snow inch = 2.3
| Apr snow inch = 0.4
| May snow inch = 0.0
| Jun snow inch = 0.0
| Jul snow inch = 0.0
| Aug snow inch = 0.0
| Sep snow inch = 0.0
| Oct snow inch = 0.0
| Nov snow inch = 1.7
| Dec snow inch = 5.9
| year snow inch = 25.9
| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
| Jan precipitation days = 7.9
| Feb precipitation days = 6.9
| Mar precipitation days = 8.7
| Apr precipitation days = 10.6
| May precipitation days = 11.9
| Jun precipitation days = 9.8
| Jul precipitation days = 8.1
| Aug precipitation days = 8.5
| Sep precipitation days = 7.0
| Oct precipitation days = 8.8
| Nov precipitation days = 7.7
| Dec precipitation days = 8.1
| year precipitation days = 104.0
| unit snow days = 0.1 in
| Jan snow days = 5.0
| Feb snow days = 3.5
| Mar snow days = 1.5
| Apr snow days = 0.2
| May snow days = 0.0
| Jun snow days = 0.0
| Jul snow days = 0.0
| Aug snow days = 0.0
| Sep snow days = 0.0
| Oct snow days = 0.0
| Nov snow days = 0.8
| Dec snow days = 3.3
| year snow days = 14.3
|source 1 = [[NOAA]]<ref name= nws>{{cite web
| url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=ilx
| title = NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = July 21, 2021
| archive-date = March 18, 2021
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210318054551/https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=ilx
| url-status = dead
}}</ref><ref name=NCEI>
{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00113320&format=pdf
| title = Station: Galesburg, IL
| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020)
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = July 21, 2021}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1850= 323
|1860= 4953
|1870= 10158
|1880= 11437
|1890= 15264
|1900= 18607
|1910= 22089
|1920= 23834
|1930= 28830
|1940= 28876
|1950= 31425
|1960= 37243
|1970= 36290
|1980= 35305
|1990= 33530
|2000= 33706
|2010= 32195
|2020= 30052
|footnote=[https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html Decennial US Census]
}}As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US1728326 |access-date=2022-06-28 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref> there were 30,052 people, 12,495 households, and 6,060 families residing in the city. The population density was {{Convert|1,675.42|PD/sqmi|PD/km2}}. There were 13,939 housing units at an average density of {{Convert|777.11|/sqmi|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the city was 72.93% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 14.36% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.30% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.01% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.04% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 3.36% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 8.01% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 8.49% of the population.

There were 12,495 households, out of which 19.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.88% were married couples living together, 10.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.50% were non-families. 44.87% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.34% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 2.10.

The city's age distribution consisted of 17.5% under the age of 18, 12.8% from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 25% from 45 to 64, and 21.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $37,322, and the median income for a family was $63,118. Males had a median income of $32,704 versus $25,461 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $22,497. About 11.7% of families and 19.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 22.2% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Galesburg city, Illinois – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Galesburg city, Illinois|url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=160XX00US1728326&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Galesburg city, Illinois|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US1728326&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name="2020CensusP2">{{Cite web |title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Galesburg city, Illinois |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US1728326&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|27,688
|25,114
|style='background: #ffffe6; |21,088
|82.15%
|78.01%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |70.17%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|3,402
|3,630
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4,215
|10.09%
|11.28%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |14.03%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|64
|56
|style='background: #ffffe6; |47
|0.19%
|0.17%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.16%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|345
|284
|style='background: #ffffe6; |301
|1.02%
|0.88%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.00%
|-
|[[Native Hawaiian]] or [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|8
|7
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7
|0.02%
|0.02%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.02%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|25
|39
|style='background: #ffffe6; |172
|0.07%
|0.12%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.57%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|486
|828
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,670
|1.44%
|2.57%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5.56%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|1,688
|2,327
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,552
|5.01%
|6.95%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |8.49%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''33,706'''
|'''32,195'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''30,052'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

==Festivals==
Galesburg is the home of the Railroad Days festival, held on the fourth weekend of June.<ref name=Schedule>{{cite web|url=http://www.galesburgrailroaddays.org/schedule/index.html|title=Schedule for 2010|website=galesburgrailroaddays.org|access-date=2 May 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100627165455/http://www.galesburgrailroaddays.org/schedule/index.html|archive-date=27 June 2010}}</ref> The festival began in 1977 as an open house to the public from the then Burlington Northern. Burlington Northern gave train car tours of their yards. The city started having street fairs to draw more people to town. In 1981, the Galesburg Railroad Museum was founded and opened during Railroad Days. For a while, the city and the railroad worked together on the celebrations. In 2002, the railroad backed out of the festival and there were no yard tours. In 2003 the city worked with local groups to revamp the festival and the Galesburg Railroad Museum resumed bus tours of the yards. The Galesburg Railroad Museum has continued to provide tours of the yards since then. In 2010, the Galesburg Railroad Museum started offering a VIP tour of the yards, in which a select group of riders are allowed in the Hump Towers and Diesel Shop to see the BNSF at work. During the festival, one of the largest [[model railroad]] train shows and layouts in the [[U.S. Midwest]] happens at the new Galesburg High School Fieldhouse.<ref name=Schedule />

On Labor Day weekend, Galesburg hosts the [[Stearman Aircraft|Stearman]] Fly in.<ref>{{cite web |title=National Stearman Fly-In – Official Website |url=http://www.stearmanflyin.com/ |access-date=2 May 2018 |website=www.stearmanflyin.com}}</ref> Also in September are the Great Cardboard Boat Regatta and the Annual Rubber Duck Race, at Lake Storey.<ref>{{cite web |title=Great Cardboard Boat Regatta-Canceled – Galesburg, IL – Sep 10, 2016 |url=http://www.eventcrazy.com/Galesburg-IL/events/details/23715-Great-Cardboard-Boat-Regatta |access-date=2 May 2018 |website=www.eventcrazy.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Galesburg Public Schools Foundation – Annual_Rubber_Duck |url=http://www.gburgpsf.org/Annual_Rubber_Duck.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101115020633/http://www.gburgpsf.org/Annual_Rubber_Duck.php |archive-date=2010-11-15 |access-date=2010-10-23}}</ref> On the third weekend of August, a Civil War and pre-1840s rendezvous is held at Lake Storey Park.

==Transportation==
[[Amtrak]], the national passenger rail system, provides service from Chicago on four trains daily. It operates the ''[[California Zephyr]]'', ''[[Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg|Carl Sandburg]]'', ''[[Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg|Illinois Zephyr]]'', and ''[[Southwest Chief]]'' daily from [[Chicago Union Station]] to [[Galesburg station (Amtrak)|Galesburg station]] and points west. The ''Southwest Chief'' and the state-supported ''Carl Sandburg'' and ''Illinois Zephyr'' take passengers to Chicago or points west, while the ''California Zephyr'' discharges passengers only on its eastbound run since the other trains provide ample service.

[[Galesburg Transit]] provides bus service in the city. There are four routes: Gold Express Loop, Green Central Loop, Red West Loop, and Blue East Loop.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ci.galesburg.il.us/transit/citybus.htm |title=Galesburg Transit City Bus |access-date=2010-10-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101106095415/http://www.ci.galesburg.il.us/transit/citybus.htm |archive-date=2010-11-06 }}</ref> [[BNSF]] provides rail freight to Galesburg and operates a large [[hump yard]] {{Convert|1.9|mi}}<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Google Maps|title=Map|url=https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=40.93647,-90.351734&spn=0.064451,0.153465&t=h&z=13|access-date=October 23, 2010}}</ref> south of town.<ref>{{cite web| author=Trains Magazine| date=July 8, 2006| url=http://www.trains.com/trn/default.aspx?c=a&id=537| title=North America's Hump Yards| access-date=October 23, 2010| url-status=live| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204022048/http://www.trains.com/trn/default.aspx?c=a&id=537| archive-date=December 4, 2008}}</ref>

Galesburg is served by [[Interstate 74]], which runs north to [[Moline, Illinois|Moline]] in the [[Quad Cities]] region, and southeast to [[Peoria, Illinois|Peoria]] and beyond. The [[Chicago–Kansas City Expressway]], also known as [[Illinois Route 110]], runs through Galesburg. To the southwest it passes through [[Macomb, Illinois|Macomb]], the home of [[Western Illinois University]], and toward [[Quincy, Illinois|Quincy]], before crossing into [[Missouri]]. Galesburg served is served by U.S. Routes [[U.S. Route 34|34]] and [[U.S. Route 150|150]]. US 34 connects Galesburg to [[Burlington, Iowa]], and [[Chicago]]. It is a [[Controlled-access highway|freeway]] through its entire run in Galesburg and west to [[Monmouth, Illinois|Monmouth]]. It connects to Galesburg through three [[Interchange (road)|interchanges]] at West Main Street, North Henderson Street, and North Seminary Street, along with an additional interchange at Interstate 74. US 150 runs through the heart of Galesburg. It enters the city as Grand Avenue from the southeast, runs through downtown as Main Street, and exits the city as North Henderson Street. Galesburg is additionally served by Illinois State [[Illinois Route 97|Route 97]], [[Illinois Route 41|Route 41]], [[Illinois Route 164|Route 164]], and Knox County highways 1, 7, 9, 10, 25, 30, 31, and 40.

[[Galesburg Municipal Airport]] provides general aviation access, while [[Quad City International Airport]] and [[General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport]] provide commercial flights.

Galesburg will be home to the [[National Railroad Hall of Fame]]. Efforts are underway to raise funds for the $30 million (~${{Format price|{{Inflation|index=US-GDP|value=30000000|start_year=2006}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US-GDP}}) project, which got a major boost in 2006, when Congress passed a bill to charter the establishment. It is hoped that the museum will bring tourism and a financial boost to the community. Construction of the museum began in 2019.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://peoriapublicradio.org/post/construction-galesburg-national-railroad-hall-fame-begin-2019#stream/0|title=Construction on Galesburg National Railroad Hall of Fame to Begin in 2019|agency=Associated Press|access-date=2018-07-11|language=en}}</ref>

==Media==
Galesburg has several radio stations and newspapers delivering a mix of local, regional and national news. WGIL-AM, WAAG, WLSR-FM and WKAY-FM are all owned by Galesburg Broadcasting while Prairie Radio Communications owns WAIK-AM. KZZ66 provides Weather Information for NOAA Weather Radio in the Galesburg area.

The ''Galesburg Register-Mail'' is the result of the merger of the ''Galesburg Republican-Register'' and the ''Galesburg Daily Mail'' in 1927. The two papers trace their roots to the mid-19th century. A daily, it is the city's main newspaper, and was owned by Copley Press until it was sold to Gate House Media in 2007. ''The Zephyr'' was started in 1989, was published on Thursdays, and was the only locally owned newspaper until its final edition on December 9, 2010. The ''New Zephyr'' began publication in 2013. It is published every Friday. The ''Knoxville Bulletin'' is a weekly newspaper established in 2016. It is owned by Limestone Publishing.

Galesburg is part of the Quad Cities television market.

===FM radio===
* 90.7 [[WVKC]] "Tri States Public Radio", supported by Western Illinois University and Knox College [http://tspr.org/ Tri States Public Radio]<ref>http://tspr.org/ ''Tri States Public Radio'': NPR news and diverse music serving west central Illinois, southeast Iowa, and northeast Missouri</ref> (NPR Affiliate with HD Radio subchannels)
* 92.7 [[WLSR]] "92.7 FM The Laser", [[Hard rock|Active Rock]] ([[Radio Data System|RDS]] – Artist/Title)
* 94.9 [[WAAG]] "FM 95", [[Country music|Country]] (RDS – Artist/Title)
* 95.7 [[WVCL]], Religious, an affiliate of [[Three Angels Broadcasting Network]]
* 100.5 W263AO (Translates 91.5 [[WCIC]]), [[Contemporary Christian music|Christian AC]] (RDS)
* 105.3 [[WKAY]] "105.3 KFM", Adult Contemporary (RDS – Artist/Title)

===AM radio===
* 1400 [[WGIL]], [[Talk radio|News/Talk]]
* 1590 [[WAIK]], News/Talk/Sports

===Web radio===
* KGB-Radio "Knox Galesburg Radio", [https://web.archive.org/web/20110417154018/http://knoxgalesburg.org/ Galesburg Area News Weather and Maps]

===Print===
* ''The Paper'', local weekly (free) newspaper (in the Register-Mail every Wednesday)
* ''[[Register-Mail]]'', local daily newspaper
* ''The Zephyr'', local weekly newspaper (discontinued in 2010)
* ''The New Zephyr'', local weekly newspaper (on hiatus as of December 2013)
* ''Knoxville Bulletin'', local weekly newspaper (started in May 2016)
* ''[https://www.theburg.news/ The Burg]'', local weekly newspaper (started in summer of 2019)

==In popular culture==
[[File:Galesburg-city-sign.jpg|thumb|"Welcome to Galesburg" sign]]
*Galesburg is the birthplace of [[George Washington Gale Ferris Jr.]], inventor of the [[Ferris wheel]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.browsebiography.com/bio-george_ferris.html |title=George Ferris biography, birth date, birth place and pictures |access-date=2013-11-20 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212190512/http://www.browsebiography.com/bio-george_ferris.html |archive-date=2013-12-12 }}</ref>
*According to legend, the four [[Marx Brothers]] ([[Groucho]], [[Chico Marx|Chico]], [[Harpo Marx|Harpo]], and [[Gummo Marx|Gummo]]) first received their nicknames at Galesburg's Gaity Theatre in 1914. Nicknames ending in ''-o'' were popular in the early 20th century, and a fellow vaudevillian, [[Art Fisher]], supposedly bestowed them upon the brothers during a poker game there. [[Zeppo Marx]] received his nickname later.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.galesburg.com/columnists/x1311854565/Tom-Wilson-Knox-baseball-trounces-actors|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204184456/http://www.galesburg.com/columnists/x1311854565/Tom-Wilson-Knox-baseball-trounces-actors|url-status=dead|title=Knox Baseball Trounces Actors|archive-date=December 4, 2008}}</ref>
*[[Barack Obama]] mentioned Galesburg during his keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention and near the beginning of his [[2010 State of the Union Address]].<ref>[[s:Barack Obama's Second State of the Union Address|Wikisource]]</ref> Obama also visited Galesburg High School in 2011 to speak to students while in the area for a Midwestern bus tour.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://whitehouse.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/17/obama-bus-tour-stop-12-galesburg-il/|title=Obama Bus Tour Stop #12: Galesburg, IL|website=cnn.com|access-date=2 May 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202012341/http://whitehouse.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/17/obama-bus-tour-stop-12-galesburg-il/|archive-date=2 February 2017}}</ref>
*Baseball legend [[Jimmie Foxx]] lived out some of his last years as a greeter at a steakhouse in Galesburg. Foxx left just before his death in 1967.<ref>{{Cite book
| publisher = McFarland
| isbn = 9780786418671
| last = Daniel
| first = W. Harrison
| title = Jimmie Foxx
| date = January 2004
| page = 206
}}</ref>
*[[Ronald Reagan]] attended second grade at Silas Willard Elementary School between 1917 and 1918.<ref>[http://silaswillard.schools.officelive.com/default.aspx Silas Willard main page] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110827071103/http://silaswillard.schools.officelive.com/default.aspx |date=2011-08-27 }}</ref> He portrayed pitcher [[Grover Cleveland Alexander]] in the movie ''[[The Winning Team]]'' in 1952, starting with Alexander's stint with the minor-league [[Galesburg Boosters]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Hoots|first=Joshua|title=The Winning Team|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045332/|work=Motion Picture|access-date=4 October 2012}}</ref>
*Galesburg is the birthplace of artist [[Stephen Prina]], whose recent publication ''Galesburg, Illinois+'' documents an exhibition that portrays the town indirectly through various media.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Stephen Prina: Galesburg, Illinois+ |date=2016 |publisher=Walther König |location=Köln |isbn=9783863359287 |series=Schriften des Museums Kurhaus Kleve |volume=70}}</ref>
* The first stage of the NES game ''[[Ninja Gaiden (NES video game)|Ninja Gaiden]]'' is in Galesburg, depicted as more like New York City.<ref>{{cite book |title= NINJA GAIDEN INSTRUCTIONS |url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/clv/manuals/es/pdf/CLV-P-NACBE.pdf |publisher=[[Tecmo]] |date=March 1999 |page=11 }}</ref>
* Galesburg is the setting of the 1981 slasher film [[Strange Behavior]].

==Notable people==
{{Main|List of people from Galesburg, Illinois}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|author=Broughton, Chad|title=Boom, Bust, Exodus: The Rust Belt, the Maquilas, and a Tale of Two Cities|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2015|isbn=978-0199765614 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PWc3BQAAQBAJ}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Galesburg, Illinois}}
{{NSRW Poster|Galesburg, Ill.}}
{{Portal|Illinois}}
* [http://www.ci.galesburg.il.us Official website]

{{Knox County, Illinois}}
{{Lincoln–Douglas debates}}
{{Illinois county seats}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Galesburg, Illinois| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Illinois]]
[[Category:Cities in Knox County, Illinois]]
[[Category:Galesburg, Illinois micropolitan area]]
[[Category:Ronald Reagan Trail]]
[[Category:County seats in Illinois]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1836]]
[[Category:1836 establishments in Illinois]]