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History · Elysian

Elysian dates to 1856, and 11% of its homes were built before 1940

Its Register listing is the Elysian Public School. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1966 on, and the census since 1880.

1856founded
1on the National Register
11%homes built before 1940
1old photo or paper
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Elysian’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Elysian began

When was Elysian founded?

1856

Elysian dates its founding to 1856 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1880.

First census: 167 in 18802020 census: 708170 years
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1859.The full story ↓

What stands out about Elysian’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 1 old photo is in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Elysian’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Elysian’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Date a photo1 archive item has no date. Guess the decade.+2Retake an old viewElysian Water Tower, Pumphouse, Frank S…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
The story

How Elysian came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Elysian.

Read it all →

Elysian was platted in 1856, and named for Elysium in Greek mythology. Elysian was incorporated in 1884.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Elysian, 1856 to 1966

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1856
    FoundingElysian is established
  3. 1859Post officeThe Elysian post office opens
  4. 20th century
  5. 1966On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade

Elysian, decade by decade

Date unknown1 to date
Elysian Water Tower, Pumphouse, Frank Street NortheastDate?Elysian Water Tower, Pumphouse, Frank Street Northeast
Today16 recent
Thirsty Beaver Bar, Main Street2026Thirsty Beaver Bar, Main StreetPribyl Bro's Garage, Main Street, Elysian, Minnesota-022026Pribyl Bro's Garage, Main Street, Elysian, Minnesota-…Pribyl Bro's Garage, Main Street, Elysian, Minnesota-012026Pribyl Bro's Garage, Main Street, Elysian, Minnesota-…Fire Department2026Fire DepartmentCorner Bar, Main Street2026Corner Bar, Main StreetCity Hall2026City HallBusinesses on Main Street2026Businesses on Main StreetBusinesses on Main Street and First Street, Elysian, Minnesota-022026Businesses on Main Street and First Street, Elysian, …Businesses on Main Street and First Street, Elysian, Minnesota-012026Businesses on Main Street and First Street, Elysian, …Business on Main Street2026Business on Main StreetBank building on Main Street2026Bank building on Main StreetUS Post Office - Elysian, Minnesota in Winter2018US Post Office - Elysian, Minnesota in Winter2009-0805-MN-Elysian20092009-0805-MN-ElysianElysian2008ElysianElysian2008ElysianMNMap-doton-Elysian2005MNMap-doton-Elysian
On the map

Elysian on the map, 1966 to 1985

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Elysian. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Elysian on the 1966 USGS mapElysian on the 1985 USGS map1966Elysian sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Elysian.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Elysian Water Tower, Pumphouse, Frank Street Northeast
Retake this viewElysian Water Tower, Pumphouse, Frank Street Northeast

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Elysian’s page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

1 historic place in Elysian

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
3
each building in a district counts
first listed
1981
Elysian Public School
Elysian Public School
Buildings
Elysian Public SchoolBuilding

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

People over time

Elysian, census by census

010020030040050060070018801900192019401960198020002020708

Grew from 167 people in 1880 to 708 in 2020, 4 times over.

15 censuses, 1880–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Elysian’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

Famous people close to Elysian

Nobody well known was born in Elysian itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
Leroy ShieldAmerican film score and radio composer, pianist… · b. 1893
Ray John MaddenAmerican politician · b. 1892
Robert SheranAmerican lawyer, judge and politician · b. 1916
G
Glenn OdekirkAmerican engineer · b. 1905
G
Gene GlynnAmerican baseball player and coach · b. 1956
Jerry TerrellAmerican baseball player · b. 1946
Places that used to be

Places now gone

Elysian’s post office has been open since 1859.

Gone or out of use
Elysianlocale

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Elysian Township1 historic placeBJanesville Township2 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Elysian’s history

What year was Elysian founded?

In 1856, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Elysian’s post office opened in 1859, and the census of 1880 counted 167 people here.

What is on the National Register in Elysian?

One place: the Elysian Public School (listed 1981).

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

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 Wikimedia Commons (16), the Library of Congress (1), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.