Dowling House, Historic house on Diagonal Street in Galena, United States.

Dowling House is a single-pen limestone building constructed in 1826–27, with one room per floor. The ground floor held John Dowling's trading post, while the family lived upstairs. It is the oldest building in Galena and now a historic house museum furnished with period supplies.

John Dowling and his son Nicholas arrived in Galena in 1826 and built this limestone house in 1826–27 in the single-pen style. The ground floor served as a trading post while the family lived upstairs. John Dowling sat on the 1834 fire committee, was elected to the 1838 town board of trustees, and sold the county land for its first courthouse. Nicholas served as alderman from 1841 and as mayor in 1843 and 1851.

The Dowling family shaped local governance, with members serving on municipal committees and in official positions. This connection to Galena's early leadership remains part of how visitors understand the town's foundational families.

The house can be visited through guided tours that provide insight into period furnishings and early daily life. Plan to spend time exploring the downtown location during the warmer months when it is typically open.

The building sat abandoned for decades before undergoing complete restoration in the 1960s that brought it back to life. This revival allowed it to be preserved as a museum and opened to visitors.