Illinois Retirement Communities - Real Estate - Homes for Sale - Golf - Community Life

Rambling All Ages Development on 6,800 Lush, Wooded Acres is Popular with Baby Boomers and Presents Wide Range of Prices and Good Selection of Amenities

Cost of Living: Meets the National Average

The Galena Territory is an established, actively-managed, all ages planned development located in the pretty northwest corner of Illinois. Situated on 6,800 rolling, wooded acres with an abundance of wildlife all around, it is a large, sprawling and has Eagle Ridge Resort and Spa, a vacation resort that is open to the public, situated in the middle of it. Historic and picturesque Galena (population 3,500), an old steamboat port located 5 miles east on the Galena River (which feeds into the Mississippi River), is the closest population center to The Galena Territory and one of the prettiest towns in Illinois.

One of the pluses of The Galena Territory is the wide range of housing options. Buyers find everything from villas and mid-size single family homes on large lots to cute weekend cottages and town homes, with prices up and down the price scale. Both older construction, from the 1980s, and almost brand new homes co-exist, although some neighborhoods are older than others. Homes are located overlooking Lake Galena or along one of the four golf courses or nestled in the woods, and prices for small (835 sq. ft.) one bedroom, one bath condominiums start at about $115,000. Large single family homes with 5,000 sq. ft., four bedrooms, three baths, a 2-car attached garage, a main floor master bedroom, gas fireplaces, acreage and panoramic views start in the mid-$700,000s. HOA fees start at less than $100 per month (but are set to rise 15% in 2011). Visit The Galena Territory for more information.

The recreational and residential portions of The Territory are managed by the Galena Territory Association (GTA), the property owners' association. Homeowners automatically become a member of the GTA and gain access to the community's amenities, including 225-acre Lake Galena and its marina, 23 miles of walking paths, the Shenandoah equestrian center, an owners' clubhouse with an outdoor pool and a fitness center. Owners may also use the facilities at the Eagle Ridge Resort and Spa, which include 63 holes of golf and the Spindrift Spa, but must pay regular rates. Since the resort is open to the public and offers 300 private Galena Territory homes as vacation rentals (in addition to the 80-room lodge), non-homeowners can be seen wandering around The Galena Territory.
The heart of this community may be the lake, which is man-made and designed to be quiet and free of commercial development. It is a private lake (but open to resort guests) and a perfect spot for catching largemouth bass, channel catfish, perch and walleye. The marina has boat rentals (pontoons and fishing boats), and around the marina residents enjoy horse trails, tennis courts and parks.

The Territory also miles of unpaved hiking trails that travel over panoramic ridges and down ravines, through thick woods and across scenic meadows. The Owners Club Complex, which is set for an expansion houses a gym, a computer area with free wifi, an outdoor swimming pool, basketball and tennis courts.
The GTA has its own parks and recreation department and sponsors an assortment of recreational and social activities, including golf outings, coffee get-togethers, wine and cheese socials, tennis tournaments, fishing contests, walking clubs, yoga, bridge games, poker tournaments and more. Volunteer opportunities primarily involve serving on one of several community committees.

Galena has one hospital, the Midwest Medical Center, which has 25 beds and meets national averages in all specialty areas. It also accepts both Medicaid and Medicare patients. The town has a fully staffed 911 emergency service, but if a larger hospital is needed, one is in Dubuque, Iowa (20 miles), Maquoketa, Iowa (20 miles) and Platteville, Wisconsin (23 miles).
Galena's restaurants, art galleries, a winery, bed and breakfasts and florists, most of which are housed in mid-nineteenth century buildings, line the main one-way street downtown. There is a library, a history museum, a local theater and several annual festivals. A modern shopping center is located on the west side of town, and outlet malls line Highway 20. Galena sees roughly one million tourists a year, and many Chicagoans have second homes here. Crime rates are well below the national average.

Winter temperatures can dip into the single digits, and winter days are overcast with snowfall reaching 10 to 12 inches per month. During the summer, the temperatures reach into the mid-80s and low-90s. The comfort index rating (a combination of temperature and humidity) meets the national average. The sun shines 190 days of the year. Water quality is below the national average, but the air quality is above the national average.

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