Many of South Dakota's ghost towns are former mining sites, including Galena. In 1902 the railroad came, and served the area until 1912 when the line was abandoned. The better known nearby mines were the Golden Crest, the Oro Hondo and three named Emma, after an agile young woman who worked in the local boarding house.
In Lawrence County, the site is reached by taking US 385 south out of Deadwood about seven miles, and then a gravel road signed Galena and Sturgis.
There are a still a few residents, (No US Census data available), A few old buildings and a schoolhouse remain. There are campsites on the way in to town.