Galestown is the northern-most town in Dorchester County. It is located close to the Mason-Dixon line, of which several markers remain nearby. One of the first inhabitants was Dr. Gales, whose name was given to the creek that flows through the town. Early deeds indicate that European settlers arrived in the area around 1714, and there is evidence to suggest that there were Native Americans living there at that time.

Early businesses in Galestown were grain and saw mills. The first grain mill to have been built was destroyed by fire around 1912; its replacement operated until the late 1940s and was eventually torn down in the 1960s. The sawmill was located on the tidal portion of Gales Creek. Lumber was loaded onto small boats that moved it to the Nanticoke River, where it was reloaded onto larger vessels for shipment to market. The Galestown Mill Pond reminds residents and visitors of the town’s early history.

The telephone became part of Galestown’s life in 1909, and that was followed by electric service in 1915. Local residents built the electric-service line and later sold it to Eastern Shore Public Service. The rural area surrounding the town did not receive electric power until 1941. Since that time, Galestown has not changed much in size or economic stature. It has a population of about 160. The Mill Pond is a treasured setting for local swimmers and fishermen and a delight to travelers who come upon it.