Imagine your car is a horse and wagon as you ride up to Council Hill Station: In the 1850s, you might have picked up provisions from this general store and railway station before making your way across the Mississippi toward the Wild West. Today, the historic building situated along the east fork of the Galena River is a live music venue beloved for its summer barn dances.

Spring-fed Lake Galena is a 225-acre lake enjoyed by anglers because of the abundance of bass, walleye, bluegill, and perch. A spillway at the base of rolling hills near the lake’s southwest corner boasts a hidden gem: Follow the short, designated trail to reach the base of the beautiful Thunder Bay Falls.

Hike the 0.9-mile trail that leads through the 220-plus-acre Horseshoe Mound Preserve to the Council Ring, a central gathering area marked by giant stones that align with the setting sun on the summer and winter solstices. From this scenic perch high above the Galena River Valley, it’s easy to spot the Mississippi River on a clear day.

Ulysses S. Grant moved to Galena with his family in 1860 to work at the leather goods store owned by his father. Barely a year later, in the spring of 1861, he left Galena to serve the Union in the Civil War. Four years later, he had risen in the ranks to become the general who accepted the Confederate surrender at Appomattox. On August 18, 1865, Galena celebrated the return of its Civil War hero with a triumphant procession and presented the General with this Italianate-style home.

Elihu B. Washburne, a prominent Galena attorney, and close friend and associate of Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant, also served in Congress from 1853 to 1869. Washburne lived in this circa-1843 brick Greek Revival home with his wife, Adele, and seven children. Tours of the house, which include a peek into the library where Grant learned of his election to the U.S. presidency on the evening of November 3, 1868, are offered seasonally.

Built of native limestone in 1826, the Dowling House is the oldest home in Galena. The home’s first floor was initially used as a trading post while the Dowling family lived upstairs. Thirty-minute tours of the building, which is furnished with period supplies and furnishings, primitives, and a collection of Galena pottery, are offered from May to November.

Before the advent of industrialization, people relied on blacksmiths to provide them with tools (nails, shovels, and hoes) and items necessary for daily life, such as kettles and kitchen utensils. Though the circa-1897 Old Blacksmith Shop is now a museum, its forges are still operable and working blacksmiths demonstrate their once-vital art as they craft custom projects. A small gift shop showcases items forged on-site.

The trussed arch Julien Dubuque Bridge spans 5,760 feet across the Mississippi River, connecting Illinois and Iowa. Drive across the circa-1943 bridge, which follows U.S. Route 20, or enjoy a stroll along the pedestrian walkway.

Designed for the production of shot balls, which were formed by the free fall of molten lead from a sieve at the top of a tower into a water basin at its base, the circa-1856, 120-foot-tall Dubuque Shot Tower is one of the country’s last remaining shot towers. The tower, built of Galena Dolomite stone, once produced between 6 and 8 tons of lead shot destined for battlefields daily. Its interior is closed to the public, but outdoor signs detail its use and importance.

The National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium brings the mighty Mississippi to life through engaging exhibits. Meet the river’s inhabitants, including frogs, turtles, bald eagles, and otters; see an authentic dugout canoe crafted by Native Americans and paddled from Minnesota to Dubuque in the 1860s; and step aboard a sand and gravel barge, and explore how erosion affects the river’s ecosystem.