Turner Hall

A historic social hall in Galena that has served the German-American community for generations. The building has witnessed celebrations, tragedies, and the passage of time, accumulating stories and spirits along the way.

Turner Hall in Galena was built in 1875 for $15,000 and was considered by traveling entertainment companies to be one of the finest venues in northwestern Illinois. For over 125 years, this historic hall has hosted lectures, performances, and political events, including visits from former Vice President Schuyler Colfax (1877), General Tom Thumb and his wife (1869 and 1877), William McKinley (1893, three years before becoming president), and Theodore Roosevelt (1900, then Governor of New York).

Charles Scheerer served as treasurer of the Turner Society and business manager of the hall for many years. In March 1910, while serving his third term as Mayor of Galena, Scheerer suffered a fatal heart attack and died inside the building that had been his pride and joy. According to popular local legend, his spirit never left.

Set builders and visitors report seeing a ghostly figure in the balcony—an older man with a goatee, rolled-up sleeves, and intense, laser-like eyes. A local pastor heard a garbled voice emanating from the empty balcony during a visit. Others have encountered what they believe is Scheerer's lonely widow, Emma, also lingering in the space her husband loved.

The Haunted Galena Conference, hosted annually by the Haunted Galena Tour Company, features Turner Hall prominently. A Thursday night pre-conference investigation allows participants to "experience the spectral whispers and history of this notoriously haunted opera house and event center."

Turner Hall is a regular stop on Galena ghost tours, alongside other haunted landmarks including Jail Hill Inn, Dowling House, Old Market House plaza, DeSoto House Hotel, and Otto's Place. Galena itself is considered one of the oldest and most haunted small towns in the Midwest, with 85% of its buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 2019, Turner Hall received a Landmarks Illinois Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award, recognizing the exceptional efforts to preserve this important historic place.