"Alfie" Mueller was born in Galena in 1909 and lived here his entire life until he died in 2004 at the age of 95.

Alfie worked as a pharmacist assistant until 1970 when he retired.  He spent the remainder of his life collecting photographs - a hobby begun in his early years - and he left behind a collection of over 20,000 photographs, postcards, tin-types, and lithographs that are used by historians and genealogists to this day.  Alfie's pictures span Galena's history from the 1850's.  Whether researching family trees or restoring old buildings, Aflie's collection is a priceless resource for Galena.

In 2004, Alfie received the Richard H. Driehaus Preservation Award for outstanding stewardship by the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois.  "Eiliesh Tuffy, director of preservation programs for the council, said it was unusual for an individual archivist–working without the resources of a university or other institution–to accumulate and preserve such a large collection." - Chicago Tribune, 10/11/2024.

Most of the black-and-white photographs used on this website are from the Alfred W Mueller Collection.  A sample of his collection can be viewed online at GalenaIllinois.com.