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Welcome to
The DeSoto Dispatch
June 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!
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What Our Guests are Saying:
"Just a note of thanks for a lovely stay for our 55th Wedding Anniversary. The warm greetings when we arrived, the chilled champagne in the room, rose petals on the bed. The entire staff in the hotel was Great! Our Anniversary dinner at the Generals' was quite noted and special. Thanks for All!"
"This was our first visit to Galena and we had lunch at the Tavern. During the delicious lunch we fell in love with the DeSoto! We were able to get a "walk up" room and stayed the night. We are going to have breakfast here too! We will tell all our friends! Great Staff! So Friendly!"
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Celebrate the 4th of July with the best views in Galena!
For tickets and more information, click here!
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Tickets on Sale Now!
Join the DeSoto House Hotel and the Galena Generals at the annual General's Ball!
Dinner in the Grand Ballroom followed by dancing in the Courtyard Atrium.
This event will sell out - don't miss your chance!
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Midweek Dinner Package
Sunday - Thursday
One-night stay
$50.00 Dinner coupon
$254.00
Generals' Restaurant Dinner Menu
Subject to availability
Prices good through June 30, 2025
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Midweek Breakfast Package
Sunday - Thursday
One-night stay
Breakfast for two
$219.00
Courtyard Restaurant Breakfast Menu
Subject to availability
Prices good through June 30, 2025
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History Museum Package
Sunday - Thursday
One-night stay
Breakfast for two
Tickets to the Galena Grant History Museum
$254.00
Courtyard Restaurant Breakfast Menu
Subject to availability
Prices good through June 30, 2025
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The Galena Ghost Walk Package
Available: Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights
Subject to Availability
One Night Stay
Breakfast for Two
Price good through June 30, 2025
Courtyard Restaurant Breakfast Menu
Experience genuine street theater featuring ghost storytelling
and dark history as you stroll haunted Galena by candlelight.
Performed in a true story telling format with costumed guides, our Ghost Walk is spooky fun for all. The 90 minute walking tour begins at the Dowling House and ends at the DeSoto House Hotel.
Come ready to hear all about Galena's dark history, local folklore, and infamous hauntings.
$254.00
*Tours begin at 8 pm sharp at the Dowling House (220 Diagonal Street). When arriving, please leave enough time to check in at the Front Desk and receive your tickets before heading to the show. Tickets are only valid for the night that you book - if you book a Sunday night room, your tickets will be for the Sunday night tour.
For more information on the tour, please click here!
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Trolley Package
Sunday - Thursday
One Night Stay
Breakfast for Two
Tickets for a ride on the Galena Trolley
$254.00
Courtyard Restaurant Breakfast Menu
Subject to availability
Prices good through June 30, 2025
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Best Available Rate
Sunday - Thursday
One-night stay
Starting at $140.00
Subject to availability
| | Everyone loves a cocktail or two... | | |
Stay with us Sundays through Thursdays and
enjoy a cocktail in one of our fabulous restaurants.
Then join us for dinner!
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Scenic Art Loop's Monthly Art Drive
Friday, June 6, 2025 - Sunday, June 8, 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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General Grant's Walking Tour
Galena Main Street
Saturdays
June 7, June 14, June 21, June 28
Join General Ulysses S. Grant (portrayed by Bob Buman) for a one-hour walking tour of Galena's Historic Main Street.
Enjoy fascinating factual stories of early Galena, lead mining, steamboating, and General Grant in the Civil War. He'll share the stories associated with the many buildings on the National Historic Registry and his experiences when his family owned a leather and saddlery shop more than 150 years ago.
Regularly scheduled walking tours with General Grant are available every Saturday from May through October. Tours operate at 10am and begin at the DeSoto House Hotel at 230 S. Main Street.
No reservations are necessary. Tours run rain or shine!
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Beekeeping Bootcamp
Dry Creek Beekeeping
June 1, 2025
Join Highland Community College and Dry Creek Beekeeping for a lifelong learning experience. During this 3-hour in-depth Beekeeping Bootcamp designed for people interested in “bee-coming” successful beekeepers or those that are just bee-curious and want to learn more and explore the fascinating world of honeybees.
An experienced Beekeeper will guide you through the basics of beekeeping with detailed information on beekeeping equipment, hive management, pest management, how to do a colony inspection, and more, to help you be successful in your first year of beekeeping.
Don't miss this opportunity to discover the exciting world of bees and start your own beekeeping journey!
Beekeeping suits, hats and gloves are provided and must be worn when working at the hives. Please bring along boots that cover your ankles to wear during the hive visit.
For ages 13+. Registration required in advance via our website.
For more information, tickets, and other events, please click here!
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Hat & Honey Bar
DeSoto House Hotel
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Cost: $65
Date: June 6, 2025
Gather your friends and family for a one-of-a-kind experience at Dry Creek Beekeeping's Hat Bar & Honey Bar Event held at the DeSoto House Hotel in Galena!
Create Your Custom Hat: Choose from Western, Fedora, or Flat-Brimmed hats and try your hand at burning a gorgeous bee and sunflower design onto your hat using specialized tools. Your hat will be pre-stenciled with a custom-made bee and sunflower design, so you can easily burn in the design with the help from expert instructor, Marie McDonough from Marie’s Wood Carvings. Plus, you’ll add your personal touch by choosing a hat band, feathers, and other accessories to make your hat truly unique!
Honey Bar Tasting: Sip, savor, and sample up to 20 varieties of delicious honey from around the world! Learn about the distinct flavor notes of each variety and discover where they come from. Once you've found your favorite, you can purchase your top picks to take home!
All-Inclusive Fun: Your registration fee of $65 covers everything: instruction, tools, hat, band, accessories, and honey tasting. By the end of the event, you’ll be rocking a stylish, custom-burned hat that’s all your own—and you’ll be buzzing about your honey finds!
Don't miss out on this creative and sweet event. Space is limited—reserve your spot in advance!
Food and drinks are available to purchase through the DeSoto House Hotel. Maybe you'd like to order a charcuterie board or try a glass of honey mead wine as you enjoy this workshop.
Children ages 8+ are welcome. The felt burning of the hat requires the use of a hot tool, so please consider this when booking for children.
For tickets and more information, please click here!
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Horse Play at Shenandoah Riding Center
10:30 am - 11:30 am
Cost: $25
Dates: 6/8/25, 6/22/25, 7/6/25, 7/20/25
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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Glow in the Dark Mini Golf
Lil' General Mini Golf
6:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Cost: ages 5 and up, $12
Dates: 6/14/25, 6/28/25, 7/5/25, 7/9/25, 7/19/25, 7/23/25
Stop by Lil' General Miniature Golf for their Glow in the Dark event.
Experience the excitement of golfing under the stars as the course comes alive with luminescent features and enchanting illuminations. This family-friendly event is the perfect way to spend quality time with loved ones while enjoying a unique and memorable adventure. With a glow-in-the-dark twist on traditional miniature golf, this event promises fun for all ages.
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Galena Farmers Market
City Hall Parking Lot
Directly Behind DeSoto House Hotel
Saturdays
June 7, June 14, June 21, June 28
Experience the bounty of local agriculture and artisanal crafts at the Galena Farmers Market, conveniently located at the Galena City Hall parking lot in the heart of downtown.
Every mid-May through late-October, from 7 AM to noon, the market comes alive with the vibrant colors and aromas of freshly harvested produce, fruits, and organic foods.
The market is a celebration of the region's agricultural richness, showcasing an assortment of specialties from local farmers and artisans. Whether you're looking for juicy heirloom tomatoes, freshly baked bread, or handmade artisanal crafts, you're sure to find something that catches your eye.
Admission to the market is free, so you can explore the many stalls and stands at your leisure, sampling the offerings and chatting with the friendly vendors. The Galena Farmers Market is the perfect destination for those seeking a taste of local flavor and a chance to support the community's farmers and artisans.
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Foraging Hike and Salve Making
Hoof It Goat Treks
June 11, June 25
July 9, July 23
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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Corkless in Galena
Grant Park
June 21, 2025
11 AM - 6 PM
$25
Celebrate the wines and food of Northern Illinois and beyond at this awesome outdoor event!
Sample selections of unique wines produced by family-owned Northern Illinois Wineries. Bring your chairs and spend the day outside, under the trees. Dance barefoot on the grass to the live music on stage, browse through the different art and craft exhibits by talented local artists, grab some delicious treats from food vendors and of course enjoy the wine!
For tickets and more information, click here!
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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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