ELSAH'S HISTORY dates back to 1853, the year a retired US General, James Semple, sailed up the Mississippi and established a tiny settlement on the river's 'Great Bend'. He called his little town Ailsa. It later became known as the Village of Elsah. Today, this picturesque community, nestled at the base of the bluffs, a stones throw from the Mississippi River, retains all of its original charm and beauty.