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Antiques & used books · Historic Galena, Illinois

Where the past is worth keeping.

Since 1991, two Main Street shops packed with antiques, collectibles and more than 50,000 used books — a roadside collection worth the trip to downtown Galena.

Plan your visit See the collection
Since 1991 · 35 years
4.5 ★ · 74 Google reviews
Two shops on Main Street

Our story

Thirty-five years of the hunt.

Peace of the Past has been part of downtown Galena since 1991 — a genuine roadside collection that spilled into a second storefront somewhere along the way. Today two Main Street shops hold more than 50,000 used books alongside antiques, primitives, pottery, jewelry, art and a well-known Civil War collection.

Wander the aisles and call ahead before you make the trip; you never quite know what you'll find.

The exposed-brick Peace of the Past storefront on Main Street with its hanging wrought-iron Antiques sign and Open sandwich board
Our Main Street storefront in historic Galena.

What you'll find

A little of everything, gathered over thirty-five years.

Two shops' worth of finds under the Peace of the Past name — the mix changes with every visit.

50,000+ used books

Shelves upon shelves, from local history to a deep Civil War section.

Antiques & primitives

Everyday pieces with a past, gathered from decades of hunting.

Pottery, stoneware & glass

Crocks, glassware and ceramics lining the shelves.

Vintage jewelry & art

Estate jewelry, framed art and small treasures in the cases.

Civil War memorabilia

Books and collectibles from Galena's own Civil War history.

Collectibles & curios

Toys, advertising, clocks and the odd wonderful surprise.

Inside the collection

A look around.

Real photographs from Peace of the Past.

Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, a stained-glass window and curiosities inside Peace of the Past
Floor-to-ceiling books and curiosities
A bookshelf section labeled Civil War with vintage titles, street signs and framed art
Our Civil War book collection
A vintage toy moving truck, brass candlesticks and an antique candlestick telephone on display
Vintage toys, brass and curios
An antique candlestick telephone, a coffee grinder and a large handmade nail-numeral clock by the shop window
Antique telephones, clocks and finds
4.5

Rated 4.5 out of 5 across 74 Google reviews.

Visitors keep coming back for the sheer breadth of the collection and the thrill of a good find.

Source: Google Business reviews, as of July 2026.

Come find us

Two shops, one Main Street.

Call the shop Visit our Facebook

Two Main Street locations

S Peace of the Past — South408 S Main St, Galena, IL 61036
N Peace of the Past — North217 N Main St, Galena, IL 61036