Elsah Historic District
National Register of Historic Places

Elsah Historic District

Elsah, Jersey County, Illinois
Listed
July 26, 1973
Type
District
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
73000706

About this property

The Elsah Historic District is a 350-acre (140 ha) historic district in Elsah, Illinois. The district includes 48 contributing buildings which reflect the village's period of growth in the 1850s. Elsah was founded in 1853 as a riverfront town on the Mississippi River; by 1861, it had grown to its current size, as geographic and economic limitations prevented further expansion. The town's 1861 appearance is well-preserved, and three distinct areas of the town have gone almost entirely unchanged since. 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. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 27, 1973.

Location

Elsah, Jersey County, Illinois
38.95698, -90.35909

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTCOMMERCETRANSPORTATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Elsah Historic District

This page lists Elsah Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Principia College Historic District
Industrial
0.6 mi
New Piasa Chautauqua Historic District
Listed
1.7 mi
Grafton Boat Works
Industrial
3.9 mi
Brainerd, Charles, House
Industrial
3.9 mi
McClintock, John and Amelia, House
Industrial
3.9 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of the Sink Hole
1815Early Republic
12.2 mi
St. Charles Skirmish (St. Charles County)
1861Civil War
13.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Elsah Historic District listed on the National Register?

Elsah Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 26, 1973.

What type of historic resource is Elsah Historic District?

Elsah Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Elsah Historic District?

The period of significance for Elsah Historic District is recorded as the early_republic era, specifically around 1853.

Can I research the history near Elsah Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Elsah Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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