About this property
The Principia College Historic District is a National Historic Landmark District encompassing the central portion of the campus of Principia College in Elsah, Illinois. The campus master plan, as well as eleven of its buildings, are important late designs of architect Bernard Maybeck, best known for his influential architecture in the American West. The Principia was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1993, and was also placed on the National Register of Historic Places that same year. The Principia was founded by Mary Kimball Morgan in 1898 as an educational institution primarily serving the needs of Christian Scientists. Beginning with primary and secondary schools, the organization (unaffiliated with the Church of Christ, Scientist but operating with its approval) established Principia College in the early 20th century. Initially based in St. Louis, Missouri, the organization in the 1910s began to search for a suitable campus location for the college. A former country estate overlooking the Mississippi River just south of Elsah was purchased, and college president Frederic E. Morgan hired West Coast architect Bernard Maybeck to develop the campus master plan and buildings. Maybeck used the existing roads on the estate as a foundation, and laid out what resembles an English country village. The centerpiece and first permanent building of the campus is the chapel. It was built in 1931–34 in Maybeck's conception of an American Colonial Revival structure, with a limestone exterior. Most of the other buildings Maybeck designed have steel frames and use concrete extensively inside, but have exteriors of stone, brick, and timbering. In the later phases of the campus construction, the onsite work was supervised by Henry Gutterson, who also contributed designs for several of the buildings. One architectural oddity on the campus is what is called the "Mistake House", which was used as a design and materials test vehicle by Maybeck. National Register of Historic Places listings in Jersey County, Illinois Media related to Principia College at Wikimedia Commons
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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.
Everything a full report reveals about Principia College Historic District
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Questions about this property
When was Principia College Historic District listed on the National Register?
Principia College Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 18, 1993.
What type of historic resource is Principia College Historic District?
Principia College Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.
Is Principia College Historic District a National Historic Landmark?
Yes. Principia College Historic District has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.
What is the period of significance for Principia College Historic District?
The period of significance for Principia College Historic District is recorded as the industrial era, specifically around 1912.
Can I research the history near Principia College 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 Principia College Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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