Elsah Historic District Explained

Elsah Historic District
Nrhp Type:hd
Nocat:yes
Location:N of McAdams Hwy., Elsah, Illinois
Coordinates:38.9542°N -90.3603°W
Added:July 27, 1973
Refnum:73000706

The Elsah Historic District is a 350acres 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.[1]

The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 27, 1973.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hosmer. Charles B. Jr.. National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form: Historic District in the Village of Elsah, Illinois. https://web.archive.org/web/20140715015152/http://gis.hpa.state.il.us/pdfs/200738.pdf. July 15, 2014. National Park Service. July 13, 2014. December 20, 1972.