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Visitors
Guide to Area Attractions
in the Elsah and Grafton Area
Jersey County, Illinois
Grafton and Elsah are real river towns
tracing their roots to the 19th century. Grafton,
once a town relying on boat construction, has remade itself into a tourist
destination with its many amenities and local attractions. In 1973 the entire
town of Elsah was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Both towns, lying in
the center of the Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Byway area, are the sites
of the area's two great seasonal attractions - Fall Colors from late September
to the end of October, and Bald Eagles from late December to early March. Just west of
Grafton is Pere Marquette State Park, the largest state park in Illinois.
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River Ferries
The advent of railroads and bridges put most
ferries out of business along the Mississippi River, but the Meeting
of the Great Rivers Scenic Byway area has one of the highest
concentration of riverboat ferries in the country. The four ferries that cross the
Mississippi and Illinois Rivers into Calhoun and Jersey Counties in
Illinois and St. Charles County, Missouri can save time as well as
providing scenic river views. The two ferries that cross the Illinois
River are free of charge. |
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Elsah
Historic District
Set in a valley along the Mississippi River
between Alton and Grafton, Elsah is often called the "town that time
forgot" and in 1973 the entire town was placed on the National
Register of Historic Places. 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 a number of different 19th
century styles. The town has put together a virtual
tour that provides visitors with a unique look into Elsah’s past,
with its narrow streets, limestone and brick houses, and beautiful gardens. |
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Pere Marquette
State Park
5 miles west of Grafton
on Route 100
618-786-3323 |
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Pere Marquette is Illinois' largest state park
and is famous for the beauty of its fall colors and as a home for bald
eagles in the winter. The park offers its visitors diverse recreational
and educational opportunities that encompass the past, present and future.
The new Visitors Center provides displays that cover the region’s
history and the types of environments the visitor can encounter as well as
housing informative interpretative programs. The park has 10 hiking trails
that traverse a variety of terrains and horseback riding is offered during
the warmer months. The park has year round electric and basic campgrounds.
The Lodge consists of both new facilities as well as those constructed by
the Civilian Conservation Corps. All this and more makes Pere Marquette
State Park a great place to explore! |
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The
Sam Vadalabene Bike Trail
The Vadalabene
Trail is approximately 20 miles of level paved trail that parallels the
Great River Road and the center portion of the Meeting of the Great Rivers
Scenic Byway. The trail is named after Sam M. Vadalabene, an Illinois
State Senator and proponent of the trail and begins in Alton, travels
through the river towns of Elsah and Grafton, and ends at Pere Marquette
State Park. Riders, walkers, and joggers will see prairie wildflowers
along the trail as well as flowering trees during the spring. Brilliant
reds, yellows and oranges compliment the scenery in the fall. For those
willing to brave the elements in the winter months should be able to see
Bald Eagles soaring over the river and bluffs, or floating down the river
on chunks of ice. |
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Village of Elsah Museum
26 La Salle Street
PO Box 117
618-374-1059 |
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Located in the Elsah Village Hall, which was
erected in 1887, and operated by the Village of Elsah and the Historic
Elsah Foundation, the Village of Elsah Museum covers the history of the
town from its founding by James Semple in 1853. Visitors will find
exhibits covering the varied architectural styles found throughout the
town, Principia College, nearby New Piasa Chautauqua, and tools and other
implements used by past residents. Special exhibits are held periodically. |
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Principia School of
Nations Museum
Elsah, IL |
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Maybeck Place
618-374-5236 |
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Eckert Farms
Grafton, IL |
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Otterville Road
618-786-3445 |
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The Great Rivers
Tour Boat Company
Grafton, IL |
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215 W.
Water Street
618-786-1855 |
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The Great Rose
Pirate Ship
Grafton, IL |
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314-477-5658 |
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Hurst's
3rd Generation
Family Fun Park
Grafton, IL |
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1434
W. Main Street
618-786-4653 |
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Mid Rivers Parasail
Grafton, IL |
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400 Front Street
800-567-8359 |
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Mississippi Expedition
& Safaris
Grafton, IL |
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PO Box 159
618-786-2499 |
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Pizza Farm
Dow, IL |
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25873
State Highway Route 3
618-466-5950 |
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Raging Rivers
Water Park
Grafton, IL |
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100 Palisades Parkway
618-786-2345 |
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Ruebel
Adventure Tours
Grafton, IL |
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618-786-2315 |
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| Nearby
Attractions |
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Alton Area |
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Southwest of
the Grafton/Elsah area is the city of Alton, the largest city
in the Scenic Byway area. Alton is the home
of several Civil War related sites, as well as the Alton Museum of History
and Art, Robert Wadlow (the world's tallest man,) and several historic
districts. In Godfrey, visitors can find 300 acres of tall-grass prairie
and woodlands at the Olin Nature Preserve. Crossing the Mississippi via the Clark
Bridge leads to the Riverlands Environmental Demonstration Area. |
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Calhoun
County |
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West
of Grafton lies Calhoun County which is almost completely surrounded by water. The
4 ferries connecting Calhoun County
with the rest of the region provide an interesting mode of
transportation. Sites in the area include the Brussels Historic
District, the Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge, and the Center for
American Archeology in Kampsville. |
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Jerseyville Area |
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Northeast
of Grafton lies the towns of Jerseyville and Otterville.
Visit the Historic Courthouse Square, the Fulkerson Mansion, and the Cheney House in Jerseyville.
The Hamilton Primary School, the first integrated school in the country,
is in Otterville. |
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 For Travelers Heading Across the River |
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Meeting
the Missouri River
The two longest rivers of the United States, the Missouri and the
Mississippi, meet at St. Charles County, Missouri. The Historic
St. Charles downtown area offers visitors a variety of attractions
including the Lewis and Clark Boat House and Nature Center, The Foundry
Art Centre, and Missouri’s First State Capitol. Nearby is Confluence
State Park and the Daniel Boone Home. |
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