Galena
At the heart of Galena is the Stone County Court House in a traditional square
surrounded by small businesses, and bordering the town is the beautiful James
River.
The 451 residents of Galena are served by four city employees with public
water and sewer and a city park.
The first bridge across the James River near Galena was built in 1915. The
famous “Y Bridge” was built in 1928 and, while it is no
longer used for vehicular traffic, it remains an attractive
landmark. In 1991, it was listed on the National Register
of Historic Places.
Float trips on the James River were once big business
in Galena, which at one time was called the “float trip
capitol of the country.” That tradition continues today on
a more modest scale, and float fishing has adapted with
the times to canoe trips, with convenient camping at
riverside for outdoors enthusiasts.
History
Galena’s name may have resulted from the journals of explorer H. C. Schoolcraft who reportedly saw chunks
of galena ore in the James River’s clear waters when he traveled through the Ozark Mountains in 1818-1819,
according to the Stone County Historical Society.
Earlier known as Jamestown for its proximity to the James River, it was chosen as Stone County’s seat of
government for its central location and quality of land. The first government buildings – a court house and a jail
– were constructed from logs. The present court house was built in 1920 at a cost of $47,600.
Galena is the home of Stone County’s first Masonic Lodge, which was chartered in 1882. Meetings were held
the Saturday before a full moon to allow its rural members a moonlit ride back to their
homes.
“It’s a small town; homey. It goes back in time. We love the river, the community,
the people. Everyone is family, whether you’re related or not.”
Melanie Flood |
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