> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.thestreatorstandard.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # What Galena Got Right—And What Streator Can Still Do - URL: https://www.thestreatorstandard.com/f/what-galena-got-right-and-what-streator-can-still-do/ - Published: 2025-06-26T02:00:21.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-19T13:59:01.000Z - Author: The Streator Standard - Tags: Opinion *A roadmap for becoming a destination, even without an interstate* It’s easy to look at Galena, Illinois—a postcard town tucked into hills along the Mississippi River—and think, *“Well, of course they’re a tourist town. They’ve got all that history, charm, and a downtown that actually feels alive.”* But here’s the kicker: they didn’t just get lucky. Galena made a series of deliberate, people-first decisions. And crucially, they did it without being on an interstate. So if Galena could do it, why didn’t Streator? More importantly, is there still time for us to follow the same path? Let’s take a closer look. ### The Galena Playbook: Preservation, Patience, and People **1\. They Preserved Instead of Demolished** While other towns were gutting their downtowns to build parking lots or chase the next strip mall, Galena doubled down on its history. Nearly 85% of the city is on the National Register of Historic Places. They didn’t treat their buildings as liabilities—they saw them as assets. That mindset turned rust into gold. **2\. They Built for Walkers, Not Windshields** Galena’s downtown is human-scale. Shops meet the sidewalk. Benches, planters, and outdoor cafes create a rhythm that says “stay a while.” You don’t need a four-lane bypass when you have a place people *want* to slow down for. **3\. They Kept Things Local** You won’t find a Target in downtown Galena. What you will find is a wine shop run by someone who knows your name, a bookstore that hosts local authors, and inns with character instead of corridors. That kind of authenticity can’t be faked—and it’s why people come back. **4\. They Used TIF the Right Way** This paper isn’t 100% anti-TIF. We’re against *bad* TIFs. Galena used Tax Increment Financing to protect its character—not erase it. They targeted TIF dollars to preserve historic structures, restore streetscapes, and support businesses that fit the city’s soul. They didn’t use them to flatten blocks for gas stations or hand cash to the highest bidder. They used TIF as a tool for *place-making*, not place-erasing. **5\. They Told Their Story** Galena didn’t just have history. It used it. From Ulysses S. Grant to lead mining and steamboats, they crafted experiences around their identity. Ghost tours, Civil War reenactments, and seasonal festivals weren’t bolted-on gimmicks—they were rooted in the real past. **6\. They Grew Slowly—and On Purpose** There were no silver bullets. No one-time grants that fixed everything. Galena built itself back block by block, powered by civic pride, sweat equity, and a belief that small bets beat big gambles. ### What Streator Could Have Done Let’s be honest. We had our chance. We had (and still have) remarkable architecture. We had a river. We had industry, heritage, and a walkable grid. We’re just 25 minutes from Starved Rock, one of the most visited state parks in the Midwest. In another universe, *we* were the daytrip town with packed sidewalks and antique shops. But instead of investing in what made us *us*, we followed the mid-century handbook of growth: tear it down, build it wider, and hope a chain store moves in. We lost buildings that today would be priceless. We paved over opportunity to make room for cars that drove somewhere else. We believed that if we made things easier to pass through, maybe someone would stop. They didn’t. ### What Streator *Can Still* Do This isn’t a eulogy. It’s a wake-up call. Because if Galena proves anything, it’s that even off the interstate, a town can become a destination. But only if it leans into its own identity—and stops trying to look like everywhere else. Here’s how we get there: **1\. Protect What’s Left** St. Mary’s Church is not a liability—it’s an asset. So is the Silas Williams House. So is the Streator Public Library. So are the buildings downtown with ornate cornices and brickwork that nobody builds anymore. Every time we “modernize” by tearing something down, we erase a potential reason for someone to visit—or stay. Preservation isn’t nostalgia. It’s strategy. **2\. Prioritize Walkability and Streetscape** No more widening roads in the name of progress. Narrow them. Plant trees. Put out tables. Make Main Street a place where people walk, linger, and bump into one another. City Park is already second to none—let’s connect it to a downtown that actually gives people a reason to stick around after Jammin’ at the Clock ends. **3\. Champion Local Ownership** Galena wasn’t rebuilt by out-of-town developers chasing TIF returns. It was rebuilt by residents who *cared*. We need to stop handing over our future to absentee landlords and corporate “solutions” that care more about extracting profit than building community. The next chapter will be written by the Toni Petits, Rick Wilkinsons, and the Jen McMullens of the world. **4\. Rediscover Our Story** From glassmaking to Pluto, Slovak heritage to haunted attics—we have stories to tell. But right now, we whisper them. We need signage, tours, festivals, and experiences that say, “This is who we are. And it’s worth your time.” Starved Rock is a magnet. But Streator can be the place where people stop *afterward*—if we give them something to stop for. **5\. Use Tools Like TIF Wisely** Don’t throw the baby out with the tax base. TIFs can work—but only when they’re used with surgical precision. That means restoring historic facades, rehabbing second-story apartments, incentivizing local ownership, and fixing sidewalks. Not bulldozing churches for gas stations. Not throwing public money at parking lots. Galena showed us the right way. Let’s take notes. **6\. Build, Don’t Demolish** Demolition has been sold to us as progress. But tearing down doesn’t build prosperity. It builds empty lots. What builds prosperity is building *on* what we already have. That means historic rehab, infill development, upper-story apartments, mom-and-pop storefronts, and sidewalks made for strolling—not speeding. ### The Path Forward Streator doesn’t need to become Galena. We just need to become *more like ourselves.* We don’t have to wait for someone else to save us. We don’t have to be on an interstate. We just have to believe that our city is worth walking through, worth staying in, and worth investing in. Because the biggest risk isn’t trying and failing. It’s settling for what we have—and letting cynicism write our story. Galena didn’t. We don’t have to either. And if we start now, we might just become the place people drive *to*—instead of through. Correction: In the original article, we mistakenly referred to the Streator Public Library as the "Plumb Library." While Colonel Ralph Plumb played a vital role in its founding, the building is officially the Streator Public Library and is one of many libraries around the country initially constructed with funds also donated by Andrew Carnegie. We regret the error—and in our defense, we get a little overexcited about Streator history and sometimes start renaming things like we’re in charge of the map.