The seat of Daviess County, Gallatin is a community of just over 1,700 people located near the intersection of Highway 13 and Highway 6 in the middle of the county.

First settled in 1837, Gallatin was incorporated as a town in 1858. It developed into an important trade center after 1871 when the first of two railroads pushed through the area. Gallatin commanded statewide attention as members of the Mormon Church organized stakes nearby, Gallatin was first thrust into the national spotlight as law and order began to prevail over the Wild West. The trial of outlaw Frank James was held in Gallatin in 1883.

The town is named in honor of Abraham Alphonse Albert Gallatini, who was born in Switzerland and served as U.S. Secretary of the Treasury from 1801 to 1813, the longest term of any Secretary in the Department's  history.

Pride in traditional mid-western values has helped Gallatin produce a governor of Missouri, a U.S. Secretary of Commerce and federal judge, a pioneering female scientist, a bestselling novelist, and a Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy among others.

The Daviess County Female Academy was chartered in 1849, in Gallatin. Later, the Daviess County Academy and Masonic Hall was chartered in 1855. In 1893, Grand River College was relocated to Gallatin from Edinburg in Grundy County.

Today, Gallatin is still mostly a rural community and keeps its quaint heritage and storied history, including three buildings on the National Register of Historical Places. The three buildings are the Daviess County Courthouse in the public square, the Daviess County Rotary Jail and Sheriff's Residence at 310 W.  Jackson Street and the Ray A. Taylor House, located at 212 W. Van Buren St.
For people looking to move to Gallatin, the R-V School District offers a wonderful public education for the children of the community.
The community also features a full-service library.