The Grafton riverfront
The Village of Elsah Museum
The nearby small river communities of Grafton and Elsah provide visitors to Pere Marquette with a variety of opportunities and activities to take advantage of.
Grafton has become a hot spot for people looking for something to do. Main Street is lined with restaurants, specialty shops, wineries and wine shops, and other attractions, which makes Grafton a popular stopping place for riders on the Sam Vadalabene Bike Trail or visitors in search of fall color and Bald Eagles. During the warmer months visitors can take advantage of the two rivers with boating, canoeing and parasailing opportunities or take the Grafton ferry operates to Saint Charles County, Missouri. Learn more about Grafton.
Set in a valley along the Mississippi River between Alton and Grafton, Elsah is often called the "town that time forgot." Elsah was founded in 1853 and remained a quiet sleepy village until the opening of the Great River Road in 1964. Elsah is not a “museum village” but rather a community whose homes are privately owned and not open to the public. Visitors wishing to visit these homes should check the Calendar for information on the annual house tour in December. Today, Elsah provides visitors with a unique look into America’s past, with its narrow streets, limestone and brick houses, and beautiful gardens.Learn more about Elsah.
