Elsah, Illinois

Elsah is located at 38°57′13″N 90°21′17″W (38.953720, -90.354732).[5]

According to the 2010 census, the village has a total area of 1.09 square miles (2.8 km²), all land.[6]

James Semple, a local lawyer, prominent politician and United States Senator from Illinois, founded Elsah in 1853 and offered free lots to anyone who built houses with stone from his quarry. It is believed that he named the village of Elsah after Ailsa Craig, the last outcropping his family saw as they departed Scotland for the United States.[7] By 1861, the village had grown to its current size, as geographic and economic limitations prevented further expansion.

Although Elsah has been described as the "New England of the Midwest," the village is not a New England prototype derived from 18th century colonial styles. Rather, the architecture found in Elsah demonstrates 19th century styles and fashions including Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Mansard, Italianate, Saltbox, and Gambrel. Elsah prospered as the main shipping point for the agricultural goods produced by the farmers of Jersey County. The village's importance diminished with the coming of the railroad, later being revitalized when Principia College was established in the 1930s.[8]

Eliestoun House was completed in 1890 by Alexander Wadsworth Longfellow Jr. The house is on the grounds of Principia College and named after "'Elliestoun Tower' on Castle Semple Loch" which is part of the Lands of Elliston in Scotland. Henry Turner and his wife Ada Ames had the house built. Ada is a descendant of James Semple.[9][10]

Eliestoun House was designed by Alexander Wadsworth Longfellow Jr. It was completed in 1890 and is on the Principia College campus. Photographed in 2014.

Elsah remained mainly a quiet village until the opening of the Great River Road (Illinois Route 100) in 1964. Elsah is a community whose homes are privately owned. In 1973, the entire village was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Great Flood of 1993 caused significant damage to many of the village's structures.

The historic commercial district on LaSalle Street, which extends three blocks inward from the river, consists mainly of stone buildings; all but one of its pre-1861 buildings, including all four of the village's historic taverns, still stand. The other two districts are both located on Mill Street and are primarily residential; the larger one is three blocks long and has an assortment of stone and brick houses, while the smaller section has a single block of Greek Revival homes.

Today, Elsah's proximity to bald eagle watching locations make it a popular destination during the fall and winter seasons. Elsah's location on the Sam Vadalabene Bike Trail also makes it a popular stop for bicyclists enjoying the Great River Road in any season.

As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 635 people, 69 households, and 40 families residing in the village. The population density was 598.1 inhabitants per square mile (230.9/km²). There were 102 housing units at an average density of 96.1 per square mile (37.1/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 90.08% White, 4.25% African American, 0.63% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 1.42% from other races, and 2.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.31% of the population.

There were 69 households, out of which 23.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.6% were non-families. 40.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.04 and the average family size was 2.71.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 4.6% under the age of 18, 77.0% from 18 to 24, 6.3% from 25 to 44, 8.0% from 45 to 64, and 4.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 21 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.6 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $57,083, and the median income for a family was $60,000. Males had a median income of $47,500 versus $26,964 for females. The per capita income for the village was $13,154. None of the population or families were below the poverty line.

Principia College Chapel

Elsah includes Principia College, a four-year liberal-arts private college for Christian Scientists. The campus area, known as the Principia College Historic District, was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1993, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places that same year.

The Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Byway passes through Elsah. The Elsah area was also one of the two finalists for the site of the Air Force Academy in 1954.

• Robert Duvall, Academy Award-winning actor, is an alumnus of Principia College in Elsah
• Herbert G. Giberson, Illinois state senator and businessman
• James Semple, United States Senator from Illinois, diplomat of New Granada, and founder of Elsah

• Elsah Historic District
• Principia Astronomical Observatory

• Village of Elsah website
• Friends of Eliestoun website