Postcard of Carnegie Beloit Public Library, Beloit, Wis.
Twelve men in Colebrook, New Hampshire created the "New England Emigrating Company" in October 1836, and sent Horace White to find a suitable region of Wisconsin in which to settle. The level fields and the water power of Turtle Creek and "unlimited gravel" in the area around what is now Beloit fixed the site of the village and farms. White purchased the land. At the same time as the Colebrook settlers, six families from Bedford, New Hampshire, arrived and settled in the region. They said the Rock River Valley had a "New England look" that made them feel at home. The village was platted in 1838 and was planned with wide streets, building on the New England model.
Beloit was originally named New Albany (after Albany, Vermont) in 1837 by its founder, Caleb Blodgett. The name was changed to Beloit in 1838.[6][7] The name was coined to be reminiscent of Detroit.[6]
Beloit lays claim to such inventions as the speedometer,[8] John Francis Appleby's twine binder,[9] and Korn Kurls, which resemble Cheetos, and the original puffed cheese snack.[10][11]
Railroad heritage
Beloit was served by the Milwaukee Road, and the Chicago & North Western Railroad (C&NW). In its 1980 bankruptcy, the Milwaukee Road disposed of the Southwestern Line. The Union Pacific, which took over the C&NW, operates in Beloit today over a remnant of the former Milwaukee Road, providing a rail connection to Fairbanks-Morse Engine manufacturing facility.[clarification needed] The CPKC operates other trackage in Beloit.[12] The city also had an electric interurban railroad.[when?]
Most of Beloit's development is occurring on the east side, adjacent to Interstates 39/90 and Interstate 43, where the city annexed rural land for Beloit Gateway Industrial Park, as well as in the newly revitalized downtown along the Rock River.
As of the census[18] of 2010, there were 36,966 people, 13,781 households, and 8,867 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,128.2 inhabitants per square mile (821.7/km2). There were 15,177 housing units at an average density of 873.7 per square mile (337.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 68.9% White, 15.1% African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 10.0% from other races, and 4.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.1% of the population.
There were 13,781 households, of which 36.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.6% were married couples living together, 18.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.7% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.16.
The median age in the city was 33.1 years. 27.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 12.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.7% were from 25 to 44; 23.1% were from 45 to 64; 12% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.9% male and 52.1% female.
Economy
Beloit Ironworks, a group of restored industrial buildings along the city's downtown riverfront
Downtown Beloit is a dense cluster of mostly small shops and boutiques. The area has been recognized for increased investment and renewal since the 1990s.[19] Downtown Beloit is one of two inaugural members of the Wisconsin Main Street designation.[20] Upscale downtown condominiums and hotels were introduced after 2000 with the construction of the Hotel Hilton Apartments (2001), the Beloit Inn (now the Ironworks Hotel, 2003), Heritage View (2005), Phoenix Project (2013), Hotel Goodwin (2018), and the Wright & Wagner Lofts (2021).[21]
From the 1990s to 2011, downtown Beloit received direct public and private investment totaling more than $75 million.[19] In 2011, Beloit was a Great American Main Street Award winner.[22] In 2012, Beloit was listed #17 on Travel and Leisure's list of America's Greatest Mainstreets.[23][24]
Beloit has a council-manager system of government, with seven council members, each elected for two-year terms. Four members are elected in even years and three in odd years. City council elections are held annually in April.[27] The city council establishes policies for the city and appoints a city manager to implement those policies. The current city manager, Jerry Gabrielatos, started on February 20, 2023.[28]
Education
Middle College, on the Beloit College campus, is Wisconsin's oldest academic building still in use.Beloit Public Library
The School District of Beloit serves 5,923 students[29] in six primary schools, four intermediate schools, and one high school, with alternative programming and charter schools. Beloit Memorial High School is the city's public high school. The majority of Beloit is in the Beloit school district, though some portions are in the Beloit Turner School District.[30]
Beloit College, a private liberal arts college with undergraduate enrollment around 1,300, is in the city, with the main campus adjacent to downtown. The campus has a number of prehistoric Native American mounds. Blackhawk Technical College, a public technical school, has a campus in downtown Beloit.
Beloit's main newspaper is The Beloit Daily News, a daily (published Monday through Friday) paper owned by Adams Publishing Group, LLC, and serving the Wisconsin/Illinois stateline area. The Janesville Gazette, also owned by Adams Publishing Group, also serves Beloit.
Beloit is a part of the Madison television market, but due to its proximity to Rockford, stations from Rockford also serve the city and report on local stories and information (weather, school closings, etc.) relating to Beloit.
Radio stations broadcasting to Beloit include '90s hits WBEL (1380 AM), which is licensed to South Beloit, Illinois and operates studios in Janesville, classic country WGEZ (1490 AM) and variety WBCR (103.5 FM), owned by the Board of Trustees of Beloit College. Radio stations from Janesville, Madison and Rockford are also receivable.
The Beloit Transit System is the primary provider of mass transportation. Four regular routes provide service from Monday through Saturday. In collaboration with the Janesville Transit System, BTS operates an express route between the two cities.
Interstate 90 Westbound (Northbound) routes to Janesville and Madison. Eastbound (Southbound) routes to Rockford, Illinois. This is a full interstate grade freeway that runs on the east side of the city, although the I-90 is overall a west–east interstate the section in Beloit runs north–south.
Interstate 39 runs entirely concurrently with Interstate 90 through the city of Beloit.
Beloit Airport is a small public-use general aviation airport within the city. It offers hangars for storing aircraft, gliders, and sky diving. Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport is a public airport north of Beloit in Rock County. Formerly known as Rock County Airport, it is owned and operated by the Rock County government. The airport has no scheduled commercial passenger service. Dane County Regional Airport and Rockford International Airport are the closest airports to Beloit that offer scheduled airline service.
^"Station: Beloit, WI". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
