Bernadine's Stillman Inn, romantic Bed and Breakfast in Galena Illinois


		The Stillman Inn was originally built in 1858 and took two years to complete. The Stillman's came to Galena from Connecticut in the mid 1800's. Mr. Nelson Stillman looked at the thriving city with a business mans eye and decided he would prosper here. He opened an emporium on Main Street, acquired an interest in shipping operations on the Mississippi River and became involved in outfitting wagon trains headed West and he became wealthy. The mansion has 6,700 square feet of living space, 7 guest rooms, 3 innkeepers rooms, a full basement, parlor, 12 bathrooms and 11 fireplaces. Much entertaining went on at the Stillman mansion. Newspaper stories tell that as many as six of Grant's generals were around the dining room table on occasion. It is also rumored that General Grant himself spent a lot of time here with the Stillman's The Stillman's lived in their mansion about 25 years. After the death of Nelson Stillman, his wife moved to Chicago to be near relatives. It was said of her in Nelson's obituary that her sympathies clung to him through life as ivy to the oak. The old manor was home to a succession of tenants as the years went on. After Mrs. Stillman moved out the home was rented to private families until the early 1900's when it stood empty for several years. The maintenance costs were too high for many a prospective buyer. The Galena Gazette reports that at one time the mansion was sold for back taxes of $4,000. In the late 1930's the house became the Brownell Nursing Home. In 1948 Mrs. Harry Cox purchased it and operated he Sunnyhill Nursing Home until 1968. In 1972 the Jensen family purchased the home. Mr. Jensen was a Chicago Industrial Engineer and over 12 years the family masterfully set about to restore and stabilize the mansion to include the addition of steel beams throughout. The building was then used as a Medieval Banquet hall and Inn. When taken over by the Lozeau family the property operated at peak performance with the addition of a 50's bar. After being sold on contract the property soon fell into disrepair. The Anderson's purchased the Inn in May 2000. They upgraded all of the guest rooms to include TV's, hair dryers, robes, mini fridges with complimentary beverages, new bedding, curtains, etc. They are constantly upgrading amenities and continue putting forth efforts to restore the mansion to its original beauty. In Spring of 2001 they opened "Bernadine's Tea Room" in a separate building, located where the 50's bar had been. In the Spring of 2002 they opened "The Dinner Lounge at Bernadine's", a non smoking piano lounge specializing in romance, music, & great food with private banquets located in the restored 1858 carriage house.

		Stillman Inn 513 Bouthillier Street Galena, IL. 61036 Toll Free: (866) 777-0557 Fax: (815) 777-8097 E-mail: stillman@stillmaninn.com Revised July 17, 2005.