Galesburg City Manager Eric Hanson delivered the full 2025 State of the City Address Monday at the Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce’s 47th Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon at Cedar Creek Hall.
In his 19-minute speech, Hanson detailed:
- $262 million in private investment and 550+ new jobs over the past two years
- Western Smokehouse’s massive expansion and a manufacturing comeback
- Downtown’s resurgence, including a 35% jump in Orpheum attendance
- Judy’s Family Cafe going viral nationwide. (“I’ll ride that pancake all the way to the diner”)
- Nearly $5 million invested in local coffee shops in just two years
- $40 million in active state/federal grants for roads, water quality, housing, parks, and the airport
- The “Project 350” tree initiative now aiming for 1,000 trees by 2026
Hear the complete, unedited address — recorded live at Cedar Creek Hall — plus Hanson’s outlook on housing, workforce needs, and keeping Galesburg’s momentum rolling into 2026.
During the same luncheon, the Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce presented the Thomas B. Herring Community Service Award to Mark Thomas, owner of Watson Thomas Funeral Home and former Knox County coroner. Full story here.
