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Shedd Aquarium

Old Main at Knox College

2 South St., Galesburg, IL 61401

Historic Sites

Nowhere on the Knox campus are the history and the ideals of the College so intertwined with the modern-day work of faculty and students as in Old Main.

An American architectural landmark of the first order, Old Main's history is still very much alive in its offices, classrooms, and public spaces.

Old Main is the only existing site of one of the famous 1858 senatorial debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas and has been designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior. It was through one of its east-facing windows that the future President of the United States climbed to reach the debate platform, where he is said to have quipped "At last I have gone through college." The very chair where Lincoln sat that day, the aptly named "Lincoln Chair," still sits in Old Main's Alumni Room to this day.

What's happening nearby...

Galesburg Railroad Days

Downtown Galesburg •  Jun 26 – Jun 29 @ 10AM

Celebrating Galesburg's rich railroad history, Railroad Days is an annual summer festival that brings a carnival, entertainment, and railroad-themed events to the heart of the city,…

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Taste of Galesburg

Jul 17

Sample our local restaurants for a true "taste" of Galesburg!

Read more about Taste of Galesburg

Great Balloon Race

Lake Storey •  Jul 25 – Jul 27

20-25 hot air balloons flying over Galesburg, Il. during the last full weekend of July at Lake Storey Park, with "night glows" Friday and Saturday nights…

Read more about Great Balloon Race

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The Great House

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The imposing columns at the head of Chambers Street is a wonderful relic of Galesburg's early years.

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Carl Sandburg State Historic Site

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Author-poet Carl Sandburg was born in the the three-room cottage at 331 E. Third Street in Galesburg on January 6, 1878.

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