Area Historian Highlights Restaurant History in Galesburg

Galesburg-city-signNew restaurants such as the Pizza Ranch, and Taco John’s will make their way to Galesburg, but the industry has been rich for many years in town.

Area historian Tom Wilson says local eateries have been around since the 1800’s. Prior to that, Wilson says “eating out” started in the pubs and churches. The oldest restaurant today? Coney Island, which was reportedly established back in 1921 on Cherry Street.

Wilson tells Galesburg Live on WGIL, that the first few restaurants came to town near the end of the 19th Century.

“In 1870, they only listed three restaurants” says Wilson. “It was Anderson and Clarkson at 28 E. Main and the Depot, actually that was the first idea of a restaurant in the old CNBQ Depots and those went on for years and years. It was something that was open 24 hours a day.”

Wilson says an influx of restaurants began after the turn of the century.

Hotels and motels then added restaurants like the Broadview and Hotel Custer.

Developments began to expand on Henderson Street in the 1920’s. Wilson says pizza houses, and Mexican restaurants then followed in the 1950’s. Steak houses, clubs and many other have lead into present day today.

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