Elbridge Township’s post office opened in 1824, and 1 of its places is on the National Register
Most of Elbridge Township was built recently: 4% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1985. Its Register listing is the Asher Morton Farmstead. Below: maps from 1947 on and the census since 1930.
The Elbridge Township post office opened in 1824, the earliest record of the town by name. Three smaller post offices, Elbridge (1824), Ferrell (1874) and Nevins (1874), opened inside today’s town and later closed.
First census: 1,141 in 19302020 census: 707202 years
Founding year: the first Elbridge Township post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).
What stands out about Elbridge Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Elbridge Township yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Elbridge Township is one of fifteen townships in Edgar County, Illinois, USA. At the 2020 census, its population was 707 and it contained 316 housing units.
Its first post office opened in 1824. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell from 830 to 707 (-15%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
From the old history books
What they wrote about Elbridge Township in 1879
Passages that mention Elbridge Township, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The History of Edgar County, Illinois1879 · page 400Read the page →
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located. As soon as schoolhouses were erected here and there in the settle¬ ments, the voting-place was made at one of these. Mills or stores were also used, if built in some prominent locality. The records in the Commissioners' Court show that Elbridge Township — then called Pike Precinct — was made a separate voting-precinct at the March term, 1832. The election was ordered to be held at “Liberty Meeting-house.” At the June term, 1836, the place of voting was changed to the schoolhouse near Elbridge village, then not platted, only contemplated, and containing but one house. At this same term, it was
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The History of Edgar County, Illinois, containing a history of the county--its cities, towns, &c.1879 · page 400Read the page →
Read the text
located. As soon as schoolhouses were erected here and there in the settle¬ ments, the voting-place was made at one of these. Mills or stores were also used, if built in some prominent locality. The records in the Commissioners' Court show that Elbridge Township — then called Pike Precinct — was made a separate voting-precinct at the March term, 1832. The election was ordered to be held at “ Liberty Meeting-house.’' At the June term, 1836, the place of voting was changed to the schoolhouse near Elbridge village, then not platted, only contemplated, and containing but one house. At this same term, it was
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The History of Edgar County, Illinois, containing a history of the county--its cities, towns, &c.1879 · page 390Read the page →
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The first settlers in the present confines of Elbridge Township, located in the years 1818 or 1819. Just when, cannot now be definitely determined, nor can the name of the first settler be ascertained. Mr. Hall Sims, now over eighty years of age, came to this county in March, 1821, and settled near where he now lives. He states that when he arrived, there were living in what is now Elbridge Township, the following persons and their families : Thomas Y ilson, Alexander Ewing, John Hay, Thomas Eoster, Thomas Rhoades, James Eggleton. Dr. James Love, John Elliott and James Knight. There is yet standing
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The History of Edgar County, Illinois1879 · page 390Read the page →
Read the text
The first settlers in the present confines of Elbridge Township, located in the years 1818 or 1819. Just when, cannot now be definitely determined, nor can the name of the first settler be ascertained. Mr. Hall Sims, now over eighty years of age, came to this county in March, 1821, and settled near where he now lives. He states that when he arrived, there were living in what is now Elbridge Township, the following persons afld their families: Thomas Wilson, Alexander Ewing, John Ray, Thomas Foster, Thomas Rhoades, James Eggle* ton, Dr. James Love, John Elliott and James Knight. There is yet standing
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
By decade
No old photos in the archives yet
Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Be the first to add onePhotograph a print flat, in daylight, no flash.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Elbridge Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1947Paris sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Elbridge Township.
On the National Register
1 historic place in Elbridge Township
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →
From the National Register of Historic Places (1), U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
