Galena High School has been around for decades but in many different forms and locations. In fact, the first building that represented the Galena Pirates was constructed in 1861. This building held strong but eventually burned down on Prospect Street in 1904. It housed all grades from 1-12th grade.
Then, in 1906, it was resurrected with a Richardsonian Romanesque design. It held strong until 1957 when a new building was constructed on the hill next to Franklin Street. This building has been the staple of Galena education ever since. This school has graduated 82% of its students and is ranked 182 in Illinois school rankings.
Then, recently in the past year, the Galena Primary School was shut down in late 2023 due to the construction of the new school and other hazards in the Primary School building. There is now a new school that is planned to start construction this school year in March. This new building will be connecting the new GEMS building and the GHS on Franklin Street. This new building will be the latest edition of the Galena School District. This will be a lasting edition and will help connect our community throughout each grade level. Mrs Hawkins, principal of GHS, said “This project has been in conversation for almost a year and a half. We didn’t know if we wanted to renovate the high school or do something with the Primary School, but eventually, we decided that the best plan of action was to connect the 2 buildings (GHS and GEMS).” The construction will begin in late March of 2025 and is planned to finish the classrooms by 2026-27 and the new gym addition will be ready for the 2027-28 year. This new school will capture what GHS already has but in a newer light. “The project will include new general education, science, art, career tech, and music classrooms. A new competition gym, student commons, cafeteria, and administrative offices are included, along with a renovated library, improved parking, bus lanes, and pickup/drop-off areas. The new school will include the latest security and technology enhancements to protect both the students and staff.” This is quoted from the VoteyesGHS website. The reason behind this new school is that the GHS is currently very outdated. The electrical room hasn’t been updated since 1957, the cafeteria is only a single-use, and pipes are running through the hallway.
The Galena Education System has been reliable since its first creation in 1861 and has been a staple of Galena ever since its new creation in a new location on Franklin Street in 1957. The new building will renew the old Galena High and bring it up to date.
