Historic Elsah Foundation

Thursday, September 17, at 7 p.m. at Farley Music Hall, 34 Mill Street, Elsah, a lecture will be presented on Frederick Oakes Sylvester, by Dr. Julie Dunn-Morton, Curator Emerita of Art for the Mercantile Library of St. Louis on the UMSL campus. Dunn-Morton served on the Mercantile Library staff for over two decades.

Frederick Oakes Sylvester was an important local and regional artist for the Mississippi River setting in the St. Louis area. His work has been exhibited locally and nationally, including the at the St. Louis Art Museum. Principia College, where Sylvester taught for many years, has a major Sylvester collection.

This lecture will also be virtually presented. You may register below.

The Hosmer-Williams Lecture Series is a major contribution of Historic Elsah Foundation to the understanding of local history. The Series is underwritten, in part, by Liberty Bank of Alton, Illinois, by anonymous donors, and by the membership of Historic Elsah Foundation.

June 18, 2026, at 7 p.m., Historic Elsah Foundation presents Architect John C. Guenther, FAIA, LEED AP. Mr. Guenther has taught at Washington University, St. Louis, and serves as president of the Society of Architectural Historians, St. Louis Chapter. He has written about The Gateway Arch and Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis. Mr. Guenther also designed buildings at Principia College in Elsah, continuing the tradition and theme presented by the original architect in the 1930s, Bernard Maybeck. The presentation will be at Farley Music Hall, 37 Mill Street, in Elsah. Refreshments will be served.

This talk is also virtual. Please register if you wish to attend virtually.

This presentation is one of this year’s Hosmer-Williams Lectures sponsored by Historic Elsah Foundation and underwritten by Liberty Bank: A United Community Bank. Historic Elsah Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to historic preservation and education in the Village of Elsah.

May 14, 2026, at 7 p.m., Historic Elsah Foundation presented Bill Egan, who will shared his expertise on Cahokia Mounds. Egan is from Collinsville, Illinois. He served in the United States Air Force in Vietnam. After a career in industrial battery sales, Egan began volunteering at Cahokia Mounds Historic Site. He was recognized as Outstanding Volunteer of the Year in 2021. The presentation was held at Farley Music Hall, 37 Mill Street, in Elsah.

This presentation was one of this year’s Hosmer-Williams Lectures sponsored by Historic Elsah Foundation and underwritten by Liberty Bank: A United Community Bank.

Historic Elsah Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to historic preservation and education in the Village of Elsah.

The 2026 Historic Elsah Museum Competition and Exhibit is excited to announce the following Photographers have had photographs accepted into Elsah’s 2026 Photography Exhibit.

Discover this year’s photography exhibit participants, and find all the event details here.

Take a step back in time this holiday season while strolling the historic streets of Elsah, Illinois, often called the town that time forgot, during Elsah’s annual Home for the Holidays House Tour from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, December 6. For more than 50 years, Historic Elsah Foundation has offered visitors an opportunity to explore inside historic homes and buildings in the village.

Many historic buildings will be open for the event, including select private homes, the two room school house, Farley Music Hall, the Elsah Museum, the bed and breakfast inns, churches and villages shops. Tickets for the annual Holiday House Tour are $20 in advance or $25 on the day of the tour. Ticket prices include a tour booklet with a photo and description of each building, musical performances, and a self-guided walk through the historic village.

Proceeds from the tour benefit the Historic Elsah Foundation, a not-for-profit  organization, dedicated to historic preservation and education in the Village of Elsah.