Galena Mining & Historical Museum

In 1876 among the rocky hills and gravel-filled valleys of southeast Kansas, a chance discovery was made that gave birth to Galena – the oldest mining town in Kansas. Named after the natural mineral form of the lead ore discovered, Galena quickly sprang to life and by the turn of the 20th century boasted a population of nearly 30,000. According to the National Park Service, Galena’s burgeoning prosperity made it one of the most important towns west of New York City.

The establishment of Route 66 along Main Street in 1926 added to Galena’s wealth. As more and more travelers in search of adventure began to pour through town, businesses opened to greet them. Even with all this affluence, the hard life in the mines continued to manifest itself. In the 1930s, Galena became the site of several bloody United Mine Workers’ strikes – one involving the National Guard that resulted in Route 66 in Galena being the only section of the historic route ever to be shut down by Martial Law.

Housed in the old Missouri-Kansas-Texas train depot, the Galena Mining & Historical Museum contains items of local history and numerous artifacts from the days of lead and zinc mining. Visitors will also discover Galena’s amazing comeback story – how more than 1,200 acres of mining wastes had been cleaned up by 2007 and how a series of road trips by Pixar animators led to the discovery of one their most popular and beloved characters making Galena one of the ‘must see’ destinations for international Route 66 travelers.