Galesburg was platted on Section 16 of Elk Creek Township. In 1878 it was described as "a little village" with a large store and a recently completed railroad.[3]
The Galesburg post office opened in 1857 (originally under the name Galesburgh) and closed in 1904.[4]
Galesburg was once a "thriving farm community with three grocery stores, several taverns and a hotel."[5] The population of Galesburg was 160 in 1887,[6] and was 88 in 1902.[7] The population was 89 in 1917.[8] The population was 50 in 1940.[9]
In 2003, Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack made an official visit to Galesburg, where he planted a tree in the community's park.[5]
^The Attorneys List. United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company, Attorney List Department. 1940. p. 300. Archived from the original on November 3, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2024.