Elsah, Illinois

Elsah is an historic river small town located on the Mississippi just North of St. Louis, Missouri. The Historic Elsah Foundation has been instrumental in preserving the antiquities within this frozen-in-time village. It sponsors house tours and walking excursions to explore this rustic 19th century enclave. I like to think of Elsah as a small town outdoor museum or a living history book. In 1973, the entire village was placed on the National register of Historic Places. The 20 mile long paved Vadalabene Bike Trail goes through Elsah. It extends from Pere Marquette State Park to Alton along the Great River Road. This road hugs the Mississippi River, therefore affording great views of interesting ships traveling the river. The Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Byway passes through Elsah. Elsah includes Principia College, a four-year private college for Christian Scientists. The campus area, known as the Principia College Historic District, was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1993, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places that same year.