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Welcome to
The DeSoto Dispatch
April 2025
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From
The DeSoto House Hotel
"Illinois' Oldest Operating Hotel"
Since 1855
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Stay with us at the DeSoto House Hotel and enjoy all the fun of spring in Galena!
| Join us for Easter Brunch! | | |
Midweek Dinner Package
Sunday - Thursday
One-night stay
$50.00 Dinner coupon
$199.00
Generals' Restaurant Dinner Menu
Subject to availability
Prices good through April 30, 2025
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Midweek Breakfast Package
Sunday - Thursday
One-night stay
Breakfast for two
$174.00
Courtyard Restaurant Breakfast Menu
Subject to availability
Prices good through April 30, 2025
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History Museum Package
Sunday - Thursday
One-night stay
Breakfast for two
Tickets to the Galena Grant History Museum
$199.00
Courtyard Restaurant Breakfast Menu
Subject to availability
Prices good through April 30, 2025
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Best Available Rate
Sunday - Thursday
One-night stay
Starting at $109.00
Subject to availability
| | Everyone loves a cocktail or two... | | |
Stay with us Sundays through Thursdays and enjoy a complimentary cocktail in one of our fabulous restaurants.
Then join us for dinner!
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Scenic Art Loop's Monthly Art Drive
Friday, April 4, 2025 - Sunday, April 6, 2025
(See downloadable map below for specific times)
Various Artist Galleries
Galena, IL 61036
Drive the hills and valleys of the Driftless Region’s most scenic counties. Take a laid back self-guided tour experiencing art from inception to fulfillment.
Visit talented artists in their studios & galleries, while enjoying artisan libations such as food, wine craft brews, and spirits, and discover the region’s hidden talent. Interact and enjoy with unique individuals along your personal tour.
Each month our artists come together to host the Scenic Art Loop by ARRT’s Monthly Art Drive.
Join us on the first full weekend of each month for a new experience. A new map is created monthly to ensure artists’ availability.
For a downloadable map and more information click here.
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Horse Play at Shenandoah Riding Center
10:30 am - 11:30 am
Cost: $25
Dates: 4/13/25, 4/27/25
What do horses eat? Do they have special diets? What do we do if a horse needs to see a vet? These are just a few examples of what you'll discuss during your visit to Shenandoah Riding Center!
Shenandoah's horses absolutely love attention, making them the perfect introduction to interacting with equines for younger or more apprehensive humans, families or groups!
Over the course of your visit, you will engage in several different horse-related activities. You will groom, tack, and lead the horses around the property. There will also be a tour of the barn, showing visitors the functions of a farm and what it takes to care for these amazing animals.
All children under 12 will need to be accompanied by a paying adult.
For more information, to register, and for other events, click here!
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Haunted Galena Conference
DeSoto House Hotel
Friday, April 4 - Sunday, April 6, 2025
Embrace the darkness with us...
The Haunted Galena Conference features speakers and workshops on hauntings, dark history, folklore, ghosts, psychic mediumship, and various aspects of the paranormal.
There are also optional special after hours events (additional registration required), including paranormal investigations with Spirit Society Paranormal, workshops and performances.
As always, there will be vendors offering books, art and other paranormal-themed items.
For tickets and more information, click here!
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Kiwanis River Trail Run
Galena River Trail
April 19, 2025
10:00 AM
$45 / $50 Day of Race
The Kiwanis Club of Galena invites you to sign up for their Annual Run with proceeds benefitting local organizations with supporting children and improving the quality of life in Galena area.
This year’s run will take place on April 19th on the Galena River Trail. The Galena River Trail is a scenic, forested trail that begins at the Galena Depot Park adjacent to the old Galena Depot Railroad Station. Runners and walkers will travel south along the trail and the backwaters of the Mississippi River on an out-and-back trail course. The trail is crushed limestone with a few sections of asphalt pavement. The course is primarily flat, with a few rolling inclines.
All registered participants receive a racing shirt, bib numbers, and pins. There will be prizes for the overall winners (male and female) in each race, as well as age-group winners for each race.
All age groups will have male and female medal winners for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place including overall medals for top male and female for 5K and 10K.
Runners in the 12 & under who do not medal (1st-3rd) will receive a ribbon.
For more information and to register, click here!
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Annual Frog Walk
Meeker Street Footbridge
April 25, 2025
6:00 - 7:30 PM
One of the first signs of spring is the sound of frogs waking up and calling!
Join staff from JDCF at the Meeker Street Footbridge in downtown Galena for the annual frog walk. The group will head down the Galena River Trail towards Buehler Reserve, giving families a chance to try to find and catch the frogs themselves! Will it be a spring peeper or a leopard frog? JDCF staff will help you identify what you find, and have some tadpoles on hand to view the frog life cycle in progress.
Free and RSVPs not needed. Please dress appropriately for the weather.
Rain date: May 3rd. This is a catch and release event.
For updates, click here!
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Grant's Home Front
Reenactment & Encampment
Downtown Galena
April 26 - April 27, 2025
6:00 - 7:30 PM
Experience life in the 1860s through a Living History Encampment and Civil War Battle, returning to beautiful Galena, for the seventh year!
Enjoy the Sanitary Fair (a Civil War Ladies Bazaar supporting our troops) with beautiful handmade items for sale. This is a family friendly event with the chance to interact with re-enactors portraying both military and civilians in the 1860's during the war. Meet General Grant and his staff, see a medical demonstration, and have your child "drill" with the troops!
Battles each day: Saturday at 11:30 AM, Sunday at 1:30 PM.
Watch history come alive in Galena Country!
For more information, click here!
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Save the date!
Julien Dubuque International Film Festival
April 21 - April 27, 2025
The DeSoto House Hotel is a proud sponsor of the 2025 Julien Dubuque International Film Festival. We will be holding screenings. Keep an eye out for times and movie showings.
For tickets and more information, click here!
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Foraging Hike and Salve Making
Hoof It Goat Treks
April 30, 2025
10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
$70
Foraging in the forest with goats is a peaceful and rewarding activity. It connects you with the rhythms of nature as you gather plants that have long been valued for their healing properties.
As you wander among the trees, the earthy scent of the forest fills the air, and you begin to search for two powerful plants: dandelion and plantain.
Explore the wonders of the forest on this two-hour journey while learning about the edible and medicinal plants and fungi. Participants will gather dandelion and/or plantain to then take part in a medicinal salve-making class.
For more information and other events, click here!
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Galena Main Street Sidewalk Sales
Galena Main Street
May 9 - May 11, 2025
It's time to shake off the winter blues and welcome the warmth of spring with a shopping spree on Main Street! The merchants are clearing out their inventory, and you're the lucky winner!
Browse through the various sales taking place both on the street and inside the stores. Whether you're in the market for new clothes, home decor, or just looking for a great deal, you're sure to find something that catches your eye.
With so many options to choose from, you'll definitely work up an appetite. Luckily, Main Street is home to some of the best restaurants around. Take a break from your shopping spree and refuel with a delicious meal before hitting the shops again.
So, mark your calendars and head to Main Street for a day of amazing deals and delectable cuisine.
With spring in the air and bargains galore, you won't want to miss out on this exciting shopping event!
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In addition to browsing through Galena’s 19th-century downtown with more than 100
storefronts, here are some other ways to enjoy our beautiful area:
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The Galena River Trail offers 8.0 miles (one way) of scenic hiking, biking or cross-country skiing.
Galena River Trail
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Enjoy scenic outlooks with views across three states at the Horseshoe Mound Preserve.
Horseshoe Mound Preserve
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Enjoy panoramic views of the Mississippi River from Casper Bluff Land and Water Preserve.
Casper Bluff Land & Water Reserve
| Be sure to visit the Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation website for a list of more places to see under the "Visit Our Preserves" tab. | Other great places to visit in addition to our local historic attractions and museums are: | |
Take a break and stop by our Quiet Room on the Main Street level of the hotel to view these videos:
The DeSoto House Hotel
"The Largest Hotel in the West"
~~~
Galena: Steamboat Capital of the Old Northwest
Both videos are about 15-20 minutes in length and run continuously.
| | You can learn more about the history of the DeSoto House Hotel here. | There's always plenty to do in scenic, historic Galena! | | Create your dream wedding... | | |
Call to make your dreams come true!
815.777.6818
Sales Department
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Reserve your getaway now!
Make your reservations by calling
815.777.0090 or 800.343.6562
Check out our website . . . DeSotoHouse.com
| Consider us your home away from home! | Keep more informed by following us on Facebook and Instagram! | | |
DeSoto House Hotel Gift Certificates
make perfect gifts!
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Michael Steinhoff
General Manager
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230 South Main Street
Galena, IL 61036
815.777.0090 or 800.343.6562
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