La Harpe is a town in Hancock County, Illinois, United States.

About 1896, four stone tablets dated June 15, 1715, and inscribed in French were reportedly found a few miles east of the old fortification built by the explorers.

Stones were translated locally by the only French family in town as follows: "We are surrounded by indians and have no hope for survival unless help soon arrives."

The first postmaster, Louis Rice Chaffin, suggested the name be registered as "La Harpe", for the Frenchman who spent the winter over 100 years earlier.

The City Park was donated by Marvin Tyron, one of the town's founders, as a public square.

During that year, a sesquicentennial history entitled La Harpe, Illinois, 1836-1986 was published.

Gibb's claim to fame was as the sponsor of the original ZL-1 COPO Camaros and Novas during the pony car era of the early 1970s.

Today, many of the surviving buildings in La Harpe's business districts, including the City Hall, are on the National Register of Historic Places.

The park district includes a community clubhouse, swimming pool, the LaMoine Valley golf course, and a complex of lighted ball fields.

Illinois Route 94 intersects IL 9 at the western edge of the city, and leads north 15 miles (24 km) to Stronghurst.

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, La Harpe has a total area of 1.36 square miles (3.52 km2), all land.

Former La Harpe students are now attending the newly formed Illini West High School in Carthage, Illinois.

La Harpe Elementary was recently named an Illinois Spotlight School.

This building was in use until 2012 when it was dismantled in anticipation of grant funding for a new school from the State of Illinois, which never materialized.