Ghosts in Galena’s mines? Let me begin with a brief history of Galena’s mining days.
Galena is famous for lead ore and mining has played a major role in the inception of our town. It is not known exactly when lead was first mined in the Galena region, but Nicholas Perrot, a French trader, is credited with being the first white person to see Indian mines around 1690. In 1818, the first white settlers came to mine the rich deposits of lead. By 1825 the settlement had spread out over the hillside and along the river. It included the settlers, the miners, the Indians, and traveling adventurers. About 1000 people lived in this outpost in temporary cabins, Indian lodges, and shelters of crude construction.
On December 27, 1826, a meeting was held and a majority vote of 30 men officially and most appropriately, chose to name their town “Galena” after the Latin word for lead sulfide.
By the end of June, 1828, almost 8,000,000 pounds of lead ore were exported. This brought an influx of miners and merchants from all parts of the United States and the world! As you can imagine, mines were popping up everywhere! Galena was now the most important port north of St. Louis.
As you can see , the mining industry was the heart of Galena for centuries. In fact, Eagle-Picher was the last mine to close its zinc mining operations in 1979.
Mining was very dangerous work, and many miners were injured and lost their lives. As a result, stories of mines being haunted have been told and retold for generations, including stories told by Galena old-timers today!
One of the first newspaper articles about mines being haunted by ghosts was found in the December 28, 1888 Galena Gazette. The article reads:
“Common Sense and Reason”
(From the December 28, 1888 Galena Gazette)
”The 19th century is drawing to a close, and it is about time that superstition and the fears arising from it were giving place to a little common sense and reason. The old story about a ghost, or phantom miner, who is said to haunt mines near Galena, has been revived, and incredible and paradoxical as it may seem, yet it is a fact that the story is given credence by some people. There are mines near Pilot Knob in which it is said that men are almost afraid to work, alleging that they frequently hear strange, unnatural noises. But what is still more difficult to believe is that a farmer residing near one of these alleged haunted mines has sold his land and made preparations to vacate comfortable premises on account of fear arising from a belief in this ridiculous story. The story of haunted mines in the vicinity of Galena has been told so often, and the whiskers upon it have grown so long and gray, that it is with reluctance that we make this allusion to it. We simply state the facts, and request that the reader except them for what they are worth.”
Courtesy of the Galena-Jo Daviess County Historical Society; Ghosts of Galena book available at the Museum gift shop.
