Elsah, Illinois
| Elsah | |
| Village | |
 Building at Mill and Selma Streets, Elsah
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| 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°WCoordinates: 38°57′13″N 90°21′17″W / 38.95361°N 90.35472°W |
| 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 |
 Location of Elsah within Jersey County, Illinois
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 Location of Jersey County within Illinois
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| 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 (38.953720, -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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