“Lord! When you sell a man a book you don’t sell just twelve ounces of paper and ink and glue — you sell him a whole new life. Love and friendship and humour and ships at sea by night — there’s all heaven and earth in a book, a real book.”
Christopher Morley

William and Yolanda Butts founded Main Street Fine Books & Manuscripts in 1990. Store hours are 10am - 5pm daily; closed Tuesday. Professional memberships include the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America, the Professional Autograph Dealers Association, The Manuscript Society and the Universal Autograph Collectors Club.


William Butts serves as Main Street Fine Books’ main buyer and writes their book and autograph catalogues. He is book review editor for Manuscripts, the quarterly journal of The Manuscript Society, and contributes “Autographica Curiosa” and “The Bookshelf” to Autograph Collector magazine. He also writes “Sign Here,” a popular question-and-answer column published in The Antique Trader, with appropriate excerpts carried in the Trader’s sister publications, Big Reel and The Military Trader. His articles have appeared in Pen and Quill and other periodicals.

Yolanda Butts co-authors Main Street Fine Books’ book and autograph catalogues. She oversees all accounting, web site and desktop publishing operations, as well as directs the shop’s advertising and promotional programs.


Main Street Fine Books carries old, out-of-print and antiquarian books on most subjects, with particular strengths in:
  • Civil War
  • Abraham Lincoln
  • U.S. Grant
  • Midwest
  • Western Americana
  • Transportation
  • Antiques
  • Cooking
  • Americana
  • Children’s
  • Folklore & Humor
  • American Literature
  • American Biography
  • Film/Theatre/Music
  • Literary Criticism/Essays/Letters
  • Religion & Philosophy
  • Natural History

While our book inventory has a decided American slant, the autograph inventory is international in scope. Particular strengths include:

  • Military Leaders
  • Lincolniana
  • Authors
  • Entertainment
  • Civil War & Slavery
  • U.S. Presidents
  • Composers & Musicians
 


We are always seeking quality books and autographs in all fields. If you have books or autographs that you wish to sell — either individual items or collections — we would be happy to hear from you.


Main Street Fine Books conducts appraisals of books and autographs, both entire collections and single items. Fees are based strictly on a time-involved basis. Please call us direct for further information.


This 19th century lead-mining boomtown has been dubbed “the town that time forgot,” and you will know why immediately upon viewing its picturesque steeples and pre-Civil War homes perched on the hillsides of the Mississippi River Valley. Over 85% of the town is on the National Register of Historic Places. Galena is also famous as the adopted hometown of U.S. Grant and for having contributed nine generals to the Union cause. Museums, art galleries and specialty shops (including a great book store!) line the charming downtown shopping district. After Chicago, Galena is Illinois’ most popular vacation destination. Want to know more? Visit the Galena Convention and Visitors Bureau site.


©1997-2008 Main Street Fine Books & Manuscripts, Ltd. All rights reserved.