Galesburg, Illinois

17 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1925 and the latest in 1990. It stands in Galesburg City Township. It lies in ZIP code area 61401. The Survey maps it on the Galesburg East quadrangle. 30,052 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 771 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Galesburg within Knox County

On record in Galesburg

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 3 records

Old Main, Knox CollegeNational Historic Landmark · listed 1966
Knox College Alumni Halllisted 1976
Meetinghouse of the Central Congregational Churchlisted 1976

Population over time

3 figures

Galesburg grew from 323 to 30,052 between 1850 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

Year	People	Change
1850	323
2010	32,195
2020	30,052	-2,143 (-7%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

9 surveys from 17 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

1925 USGS Galesburg quadrangle1:62500, 2 printings
1927 USGS Galesburg quadrangle1:62500, 3 printings
1958 USGS Burlington quadrangle1:250000, 4 printings
1961 USGS Burlington quadrangle1:250000
1963 USGS Burlington quadrangle1:250000
1982 USGS Galesburg East quadrangle1:24000
1985 USGS Galesburg quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings
1989 USGS Galesburg quadrangle1:100000
1990 USGS Burlington quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings

In the county-history sources

17,124 words on this township

History of Knox County, Illinois [microform] : Its Cities, Towns and People, published 1912 names this settlement in its chapter on Galesburg City Township. These are the passages that mention it, exactly as the scans read.

The city of Galesburg owes its existence to a company of men and women who loved education and religion. The founders of the city were already educated, refined and religious themselves and they wanted to extend these advantages and influences to the youth of the land. In the charter of the college it is declared in Sec. 2 : "The object of said corporation shall be to promote the general interests of literature and to qualify young men in the best manner for the various professional and business occupations of society." It is also stated in the original circular: "The indications of Providence, as well as the requisitions of Christ, impose on Christians of this day peculiar obligations to devise and execute, as far as in them lies, liberal and efficient plans for spreading the gospel through the world. The supply of an evangelical and able ministry is confessedly the most important for the accomplishment of this end."

Passage source: History of Knox County, Illinois [microform] : Its Cities, Towns and People, published 1912.

The city of Galesburg owes its existence to a company of men and women who loved education and religion. The founders of the city were already educated, refined and religious themselves and they wanted to extend these advantages and influences to the youth of the land. In the charter of the college it is declared in Sec. 2 : "The object of said corporation shall be to promote the general interests of literature and to qualify young men in the best manner for the various professional and business occupations of society." It is also stated in the original circular : "The indications of Providence, as well as the requisitions of Christ, impose on Christians of this day peculiar obligations to devise and execute, as far as in them lies, liberal and efficient plans for spreading the gospel through the world. The supply of an evangelical and able ministry is confessedly the most important for the accomplishment of this end." . . I V

Passage source: History of Knox County, Illinois [microform] : Its Cities, Towns and People, published 1912.

It is for these purposes that certain men and women left Oneida county. New York, with their friends from other parts of the east, and journeyed overland to Illinois, meeting many trials and thrilling experiences on their way thither. The world has had many migrations of people from place to place. In the early history of men these migrations were probably due to the lack of food or the desire for plunder and a severe struggle for existence, making it necessary that a portion of the people separate from the tribe and go elsewhere. Since the dawn of history these migrations have taken place because of religious oppression, the aggressions of the ruling class and the increasing curtailment of the liberties of the common people. Not so, however, with the people who came to Galesburg. They lived in comfort, they had their share of this world's goods, they were respected for their attainments, they enjoyed the blessings of religious and civil liberty, and their homes were in a prosperous country, in a prosperous community and there was still plenty of land to admit of expansion. A high and noble declaration setting forth the reason of their migration must therefore stand in all truth and sincerity.

Passage source: History of Knox County, Illinois [microform] : Its Cities, Towns and People, published 1912.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Galesburg City Township - it names this place 44 more 44 times.

Mines and quarries near this place

1 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 1 working within 5 miles of Galesburg: 1 past producer. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Stone. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where	Site	Commodity	Status	Recorded
	Galesburg Pit	Stone	Past Producer

Every working recorded in Knox County

Storms near this place

60 of 112 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Galesburg in 112 storm reports between 1994 and 2024: 69 thunderstorm wind, 36 hail, 5 flash flood, 1 flood. The reports record 1 death and 3 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

When	Event	Place named	Harm	What the report says
March 2002	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	1 killed	As a severe thunderstorm moved northeast across Knox County, it blew down several trees and power lines. Also, 2.4 miles south southeast of Rio on IL Route 150 at 2500 N, the thunderstorm winds caused a woman to lose control of her car. She slid sideways and struck a utility pole. She was killed in the crash. No other injuries or deaths were reported.
June 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	2 hurt	Numerous trees blown down in Galesburg. Two minor injuries occurred when a tree fell on a car.
June 1997	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	1 hurt	Thunderstorm winds blew down several large trees and tree limbs in Galesburg. Also, some minor siding damage was reported on one home. Also, the thunderstorm winds blew over a semi tractor-trailer near the junction of I-74 and US 34. The truck driver was treated for minor injuries and released. No other injuries were reported and no damage estimate was available.
August 2020	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$100,000	Numerous tree branches and power lines were blown down across Galesburg.
August 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$80,000	Numerous trees and power lines were blown down in Galesburg.
June 2009	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$75,000	Numerous trees and power lines were blown down.
May 2020	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$70,000	Several power poles were blown down in Galesburg.
July 2016	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$60,000	Numerous tree branches and power lines were blown down around Galesburg.
June 2018	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$55,000	A few trees and power lines were blown down in Galesburg. One tree fell onto a house.
May 2016	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$50,000	A power pole was snapped and numerous trees were blown down on the west side of Galesburg.
June 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$45,000	Several trees and power lines were blown down.
July 2020	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$40,000	Numerous large trees and tree branches were blown down from Galesburg to Knoxville.
June 2009	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$40,000	Numerous trees were blown down in Galesburg and Knoxville. Trees were knocked down across I-74 near mile marker 50.
November 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$35,000	Numerous trees were blown down across Galesburg.
October 2017	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$30,000	Numerous trees and large tree branches were blown down across Galesburg.
November 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	East Galesburg	$30,000	A portion of a church roof was blown off.
September 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$30,000	Several large trees were snapped or uprooted in downtown Galesburg and in the Standish Park area. An industrial building lost part of its roof and a transformer pole was snapped when a large tree fell across a road. A large portion of Galesburg was without power due to the storm.
May 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$30,000	Numerous large tree limbs were blown down and some siding was ripped off a few houses.
July 2016	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$25,000	A few trees and power lines were blown down in Galesburg.
June 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$25,000	Numerous tree limbs and power lines were blown down around Galesburg.
June 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$25,000	Numerous trees, tree limbs, and power lines were blown down between Galesburg, Altona, and Victoria.
November 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$20,000	A few trees and powerlines were blown down in Galesburg.
June 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$20,000	One tree and numerous tree limbs were blown down from Galesburg to Dahinda. Several power lines were downed as well.
June 2009	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$20,000	Several trees were blown down in Galesburg.
June 2020	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$15,000	Several trees were blown down in Galesburg.
July 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	East Galesburg	$15,000	Several power lines were blown down on the east side of Galesburg.
November 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	East Galesburg	$15,000	A semi was blown over on I-74 at mile marker 49.
March 2017	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$14,000	A car was crushed by a falling tree near Knox College in Galesburg.
June 2020	Thunderstorm Wind	East Galesburg	$10,000	Several trees were blown down in East Galesburg.
June 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$8,000	Power lines were blown down in Galesburg.
June 2009	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$7,000	Six large trees were blown down at the Bunker Links Golf Course on the north side of Galesburg.
June 1999	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$5,000	Numerous tree limbs were blown down and one power pole was blown down onto a car causing $5,000 in damage.
August 2011	Lightning	Galesburg	$3,000	A lightning strike destroyed a tree, and killed a Chinese Sharpei dog which was chained to the tree.
June 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$2,000	A small shed was overturned.
July 1996	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$2,000	no account filed
August 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$1,000	Thunderstorm winds blew down several trees, tree limbs and power lines in Galesburg. One tree fell onto an occupied truck, causing $1,000 in damage. There were no injuries. In Knoxville, at the county fair, a large tent was blown down.
July 1994	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	$500	Trees and limbs were blown down.
July 2024	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	-	Extensive tree and power line damage occurred across the southern half of Galesburg.
July 2024	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	-	Report from mPING, damage to tree limbs and power poles.
August 2023	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	-	Trees and power lines were blown down.
March 2022	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	-	Structural damage occurred to a downtown building and numerous tree branches were blown down.
July 2022	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	-	Three inch tree limb broken, report from mPING.
July 2022	Flash Flood	Galesburg	-	Significant street flooding occurred in Galesburg.
June 2018	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	-	A power line was blown down in Galesburg.
July 2017	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	-	A large tree was blown over in Galesburg.
June 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	-	Numerous trees and power lines were blown down.
May 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	-	A shed was destroyed, playground equipment was damaged, and a large vent was torn off the roof of a school. In addition, a few outbuildings were damaged at Lowes.
June 2007	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	-	Numerous tree limbs were blown down.
August 2007	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	-	An area of enhanced wind damage occurred in Galesburg within a larger swath of damaging winds. The damage was primarily to trees, fences, power lines and poles, and garages. Some structures received damage as well, primarily due to falling trees and other debris.
August 2007	Hail	Galesburg	-	Estimated penny size hail at Pinkys Cozy Inn on Route 150.
March 2006	Hail	Galesburg	-	Hail covering the ground.
April 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	-	A Mobile home was moved off foundation and a was shed blown down. In addition, minor structural damage was reported, and a flag pole and numerous trees were blown down.
July 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	-	Numerous trees, tree limbs and power lines were blown down.
August 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	-	Numerous trees, tree limbs and power lines were blown down.
August 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	-	A swath of wind damage extended from the northeast corner of Galesburg to 2 miles east of town. Numerous trees and tree limbs were blown down as well as a large area of corn through the damage path. Two garages and their contents received substantial damage when trees fell on them. In addition, a small, weak wood frame building received substantial damage.
July 2004	Flash Flood	Galesburg	-	An inch of rain fell in less than an hour in Galesburg. This caused widespread flooding in town. Several businesses sustained significant water damage.
July 2004	Flash Flood	Galesburg	-	Very heavy rain fell in a short amount of time. Numerous roads in Galesburg and Gilson were flooded.
July 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	-	Numerous trees and power lines blown down from Galesburg to Gilson.
October 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	-	Numerous large tree limbs down.
July 2003	Thunderstorm Wind	Galesburg	-	Several power lines were blown down.

Every storm recorded in Knox County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Place	Distance	Sheets
East Galesburg	3.2 miles	17
Soperville	4.4 miles	9
Knoxville	5.3 miles	17
Saluda	5.4 miles	18
Henderson	5.4 miles	9
Henderson Grove	5.4 miles	9
Knox	6.2 miles	17
Wataga	7.2 miles	9

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on Galesburg	An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q782574	The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 408847. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.