Principia College

Principia College is a four-year private co-educational liberal arts college in Elsah, Illinois. The campus sits on bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River between Alton and Grafton, located about thirty miles north of St. Louis. In 1934, Principia College graduated its first class as a full four-year institution. Emerging from the Principia Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools founded between 1898 and 1906, Principia College was established with a purpose of "serving the Cause of Christian Science." The college, however, has no official affiliation with the Christian Science Church and Christian Science is not taught as a subject, but its principles form the basis of community life at Principia.

There are ten student dormitories on campus: Anderson House, Rackham Court, Howard House, Sylvester House, Buck House, Brooks House, Ferguson House, Joe McNabb, Lowrey House, and Clara McNabb. The first six mentioned were designed by architect Bernard Maybeck in 1935, as was the campus' chapel. Maybeck attempted to use different architectural styles and building techniques for each of these dormitories and for the chapel. In an effort to ensure success with his designs and materials, he experimented with them through the creation of a small building known affectionately by Principians as the "Mistake House."

The Principia College campus was once considered as the site for the United States Air Force Academy. The Air Force picked Colorado Springs, Colorado, instead. On April 19, 1993, the campus was designated a National Historic Landmark by the United States Department of the Interior. In 2009, Forbes rated it 57th of America's Best Colleges.

Principia is currently well known for its solar car team and its Public Affairs Conference, the oldest student run public affairs conference in the country.