Elsah Photography Exhibit

View 2022 Photography Exhibit Information and Rules

Elsah “My Favorite Door” Exhibit Special Recognitions

“My Favorite Door” Elsah Photography Exhibit recognizes six photographs that capture historic doors in Elsah.  While the 2018 Village of Elsah Museum Photography exhibit has closed, six images are still available to see below.

The Village of Elsah Museum’s holds their annual photography exhibit to foster an appreciation of Elsah and the immediate environment.  This year with the theme of “My Favorite Door” additional images and their photographers are being recognized for their images of original historic doors still on their original building.  While showing an original historic door was not required to win the first place purchase prizes, a list was provided to help photographers to identify original historic doors.

The six images were chosen recognizing their accuracy of detail and context.  They are exhibited on the Historic Elsah Foundation website along with their titles, the photographers name and a brief description of the door.  While the photographs are no longer in the Museum, they are still for sale by the photographers. Contact information can be obtained by writing to [email protected].

The Village of Elsah Museum thanks all the participants in this year’s event.  We look forward to the 2019 exhibit with the theme of “Joy and Discovery in Elsah.”  The 2019 invitations and information on participation are available at the Village of Elsah Museum, local Elsah venues and on line at escapetoelsah.com.  A new feature for the 2019 is a youth division for young photographers between 12 and 18.  This will allow young photographers to show their work and be judged with their peers.

Photographer:  Marietta Massalone
Door Thru Doors
This image captures the door at 27 LaSalle, by looking from the Village Hall doors at 26 LaSalle, this frames the context of both the door in the distance and the set of Village Hall doors. Conveniently, the wood storm door is open to reveal the four panel original historic door.


Photographer: Peyton Watsek
A Step Back in Time
This image shows the beautiful substantial door at 3 Valley Street, the former Methodist parsonage.  This unusual, four panel, door is unique.  The sharpness of the photograph and color show the handsome door details and its context with its composition.


Photographer: Gayle Erxleben
Old with a Purpose
The image shows the original four panel, front door located at 16 LaSalle.  Partly stripped, the door reveals the wood beneath the paint.  This door is remarkable for the fancy hood above the door and the symmetry of the west elevation with the front door flanked by two double hung original wood windows.


Photographer:  Bonnie Noeninger
Open for Business
The image shows the original doors on the Keller Store building located at 24 LaSalle Street. The doors include the original hardware still in use and the drip molding.  Touching the doors connect the user to the long history of people who touched and opened the doors.  Capturing the context of the doors in their present use as the entrance for the Elsah General Store tells its current story of a favorite place in Elsah.


Photographer:  Christine Samoore
Yellow Door
The image shows the original front door of the house located at 2 Palm Street.  A number of images were submitted of this door.  This one captures the detail on the pressed metal “push plate” hardware.


Photographer: Gayle Erxleben
Slanted Doors
These garage doors were designed by Edward Hussey, on-site architect for Maybeck and White, in the 1930s.  Hussey purchased and remodeled the 7 Valley house in anticipation of returning to Elsah for additional work on the campus.  He added the garage to the frame house.  The slanted garage doors open over the snow.  He used an “arts and crafts style,” large, metal straps for the hinges on the door.  The garage roof is still the original “Gunite, an invocative sprayed concrete material. While the wood on the doors has been replaced, it still reveals the design and hardware of the original doors.