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Elsah, Illinois

Elsah
Village
Mill and Selma, Elsah.jpg
Building at Mill and Selma Streets, Elsah
Country United States
State Illinois
County Jersey
Township Elsah
Elevation 433 ft (132.0 m)
Coordinates 38°57′13″N 90°21′17″W / 38.95361°N 90.35472°W / 38.95361; -90.35472Coordinates: 38°57′13″N 90°21′17″W / 38.95361°N 90.35472°W / 38.95361; -90.35472
Area 1.09 sq mi (2.8 km2)
 - land 1.09 sq mi (3 km2)
 - water 0.00 sq mi (0 km2), 0%
Population 673 (2010)
Density 617.4/sq mi (238.4/km2)
Government Mayor-Council
Mayor Cyrus Bunting
Timezone CST (UTC-6)
 - summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
Postal code 62028
Area code 618
Map of Jersey County highlighting Elsah, Illinois.png
Location of Elsah within Jersey County, Illinois
Map of Illinois highlighting Jersey County.svg
Location of Jersey County within Illinois
Website: http://www.elsah.org/

Elsah is a village in Jersey County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the village had a total population of 673. Cyrus Bunting is the village's current acting mayor.

It is the home of Principia College.

Elsah is a part of the Metro-East region and the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Elsah is located at 38°57′13″N 90°21′17″W / 38.95361°N 90.35472°W / 38.95361; -90.35472 (38.953720, -90.354732).

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

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. 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.


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