First platted in 1854, the commercial district surrounding the public square remains the heart of downtown Galesville. Most buildings date from the 1880s to the early 20th century and feature two-story brick facades, tall narrow windows, and elaborate cornice detail. The continuity of scale and design gives the district its distinctive historic character. Two of the best-preserved examples, the Clark Block (1886) and the Jensen Building (1902), have round-arch Romanesque windows. The octagonal Bandstand (1912) remains the center of many community celebrations. The facade in the middle of Davis Street replaces a building that burned in 2005. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.