Galena is full of old houses. Honestly, if you throw a rock in downtown Galena, you’ll probably hit a building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. But The Inn at Felt Manor isn't just another drafty Victorian with some lace doilies and a plate of cookies. Perched high on a hill overlooking the town, this place feels more like a time machine that someone accidentally left running.
You’ve probably seen it from the street below. It’s that massive, imposing brick structure looking down on the rest of the world. It’s a Second Empire-style mansion, which basically means it has that cool, slightly spooky mansard roof that makes it look like it belongs in a high-end period drama.
Most people come to Galena for the Main Street shops or the Grant Home. They miss the real stuff. The Inn at Felt Manor is the real stuff.
The Backstory Most People Get Wrong
Benjamin Felt wasn't just some guy with a lot of money; he was a power player in a town that, at the time, was bigger than Chicago. Built around 1850 and then given a massive facelift in 1870, the manor represents the peak of Galena’s lead-mining wealth. When you walk through the front door, you aren't just entering a hotel. You're entering a monument to 19th-century ambition.
It’s easy to look at the ornate crown molding and the marble fireplaces and think, "Oh, neat, old stuff." But look closer.
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The craftsmanship here is ridiculous. We’re talking about original wood carvings that haven't been touched by modern "restoration" hacks. Many of the furnishings are actually original to the Felt family. That's rare. Usually, when a house becomes an inn, the original stuff gets auctioned off or rots in a basement. Here? It’s like the family just stepped out for a walk and forgot to come back for 150 years.
There is a specific kind of quiet here. It's not the eerie, haunted-mansion quiet—though, let’s be real, any house this old has stories—but a heavy, solid quiet. The walls are thick. The history is thicker.
Living in a Museum (But With Better Sheets)
Let's talk about the rooms because that's where the experience actually happens. You aren't getting a cookie-cutter Marriott vibe.
The Master Suite is usually the one everyone fights over. It’s huge. It has a king-size bed that makes you feel like royalty, and the views of the Galena River Valley are basically unmatched. If you want to see the morning mist roll over the town while you drink coffee in your robe, this is the spot.
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Then there’s the Library Suite. It’s cozy. It’s tucked away. It feels like the kind of place where you’d write a manifesto or finally finish that 800-page biography you’ve been lugging around.
- The Amenities: You get the standard stuff like Wi-Fi (thankfully), but you also get the weirdly satisfying perks of an old manor.
- The Parlor: There’s a double parlor downstairs that is perfect for sitting and doing absolutely nothing.
- The Porch: This is the secret weapon. The wrap-around porch offers a panoramic view of Galena. In the fall? It’s unbeatable.
Why the Location Matters More Than You Think
The Inn at Felt Manor is located on Prospect Street. If you know Galena, you know that means "up the hill."
Yes, you’re going to be walking. A lot. If you decide to walk down to Main Street for dinner, the walk down is fine. The walk back up? It’s a workout. But that elevation is exactly why the manor exists. In the 1800s, the higher your house was on the hill, the higher your social status. B.F. Felt wanted everyone to know he was at the top.
Staying here gives you a perspective on the town layout that you just don't get from the hotels down on the flat ground near the river. You see the church spires. You see the way the fog settles in the valley. You see the town the way the mining tycoons saw it.
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The Fine Print: What to Expect
Honestly, if you hate stairs, don't stay here. It’s an old house. It has stairs. Beautiful, sweeping, mahogany stairs, but stairs nonetheless.
Also, if you’re looking for a sterile, ultra-modern environment with voice-activated blinds and a robot butler, you’re in the wrong place. The Inn at Felt Manor is about creaky floorboards and the smell of old wood and the feeling of history. It’s well-maintained, but it’s authentic.
Breakfast is a whole thing here. It’s not a "grab a granola bar and a lukewarm coffee" situation. It’s a formal affair in the dining room. You’ll sit at a large table, likely with other guests, and eat food that was actually prepared for you. It’s social. For some people, that’s a nightmare. For others, it’s the best part of the trip. You get to hear where people are from and what they found in the antique shops the day before.
Planning Your Stay
Galena gets packed. October is the busiest month because of the fall foliage, and the Inn at Felt Manor fills up months in advance for those weekends. If you want to actually enjoy the house without the crowds, try a Tuesday in mid-May.
- Book directly. Usually, you get better communication with the innkeepers.
- Pack light. Remember the stairs? You don't want to haul a 50-pound suitcase up those.
- Ask for the history tour. If the innkeepers aren't slammed, they can tell you things about the house that aren't on the website.
- Bring a camera. Not just for the "gram," but because the light in the late afternoon through those original glass windows is something special.
The Inn at Felt Manor stands as a survivor. It survived the decline of the mining industry, the Great Depression, and the era when people thought covering beautiful wood with shag carpet was a good idea. It remains one of the most significant architectural landmarks in the Midwest.
Final Practical Advice
To make the most of your trip to the manor, start by checking their availability on the official website rather than third-party booking engines, as they often have specific room-level details you'll miss elsewhere. Once you've secured a room—specifically aiming for the upper floors for the best views—plan your arrival for late afternoon to catch the sunset from the porch. Since the inn is situated in a residential historic district, parking can be tight; use the designated spots provided by the inn rather than trying to find street parking. Lastly, take the time to walk the neighborhood around Prospect Street; the surrounding homes are architectural gems in their own right, and walking the "High Ridge" offers a much deeper understanding of Galena’s historical wealth than staying strictly on the tourist-heavy Main Street.