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Beloit, Wisconsin

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This article is about the city. For the adjacent town, see Beloit (town), Wisconsin.

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Beloit, Wisconsin
City
Downtown Beloit
Downtown Beloit
Template:Infobox settlement/columns
Nickname(s): 
"Gateway To Wisconsin"
Template:Location map
Coordinates: 42°30′30″N 89°01′54″W / 42.50833°N 89.03167°W / 42.50833; -89.03167Coordinates: 42°30′30″N 89°01′54″W / 42.50833°N 89.03167°W / 42.50833; -89.03167
Country United States
StateTemplate:Country data Wisconsin
CountyRock
Founded1836
IncorporatedFebruary 24, 1846 (village)
March 31, 1856 (city)
Government
 • City managerJerry Gabrielatos
Area
[1]
 • CityTemplate:Infobox settlement/areadisp
 • LandTemplate:Infobox settlement/areadisp
 • WaterTemplate:Infobox settlement/areadisp
Elevation
Template:Infobox settlement/lengthdisp
Population
 (2020)[2]
 • City36,657
 • DensityTemplate:Infobox settlement/densdisp
 • Metro
163,687
 • Metro densityTemplate:Infobox settlement/densdisp
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Code(s)
53511, 53512
Area codes608, 353
FIPS code55-06500
Websitebeloitwi.gov

Beloit (/bəˈlɔɪt/ (Audio file "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-Beloit.wav" not found) bə-LOYT)[3] is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. It is located along the Rock River in southern Wisconsin, on the state border with Illinois. The population was 36,657 at the 2020 census. The Janesville–Beloit metropolitan statistical area, consisting solely of Rock County, has an estimated 165,000 residents.[4]

History

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Front: Picture of Carnegie Beloit Public Library. Back: Addressed to Public Library Columbus, GA
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.[5][6] The name was coined to be reminiscent of Detroit.[5]

Beloit lays claim to such inventions as the speedometer,[7] John Francis Appleby's twine binder,[8] and Korn Kurls, which resemble Cheetos, and the original puffed cheese snack.[9][10]

Railroad heritage

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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.[11] The city also had an electric interurban railroad.[when?]

Geography

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According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 17.66 square miles (45.74 km2), of which 17.33 square miles (44.88 km2) is land and 0.33 square miles (0.85 km2) is water.[12] Location: 42°30′30″N 89°01′54″W / 42.50833°N 89.03167°W / 42.50833; -89.03167.

Climate

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Demographics

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Template:US Census population

2020 census

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As of the 2020 census, Beloit had a population of 36,657 and a population density of 2,115.0 inhabitants per square mile (816.6/km2).[13][14][2]

The median age was 35.3 years. 25.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 14.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.7 males age 18 and over.[13]

98.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 1.2% lived in rural areas.[15]

There were 14,068 households in Beloit, of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 35.1% were married-couple households, 21.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 33.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[13]

There were 15,068 housing units at an average density of 869.4 per square mile (335.7/km2), of which 6.6% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.5%.[13][2]

Racial composition as of the 2020 census[14]
Race Number Percent
White 21,995 60.0%
Black or African American 5,333 14.5%
American Indian and Alaska Native 381 1.0%
Asian 592 1.6%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 23 0.1%
Some other race 4,173 11.4%
Two or more races 4,160 11.3%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 7,812 21.3%

2010 census

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As of the census[16] 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

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File:Beloit Ironworks from Rock River.jpg
Beloit Ironworks, a group of restored industrial buildings along the city's downtown riverfront

Industries with headquarters in Beloit include ABC Supply Company, Bio-Systems International, Broaster Company, Fairbanks-Morse Defense, Hendricks Holding Company, Murmac Paint Manufacturing, PlayMonster, and Regal Beloit.

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.[17] Downtown Beloit is one of two inaugural members of the Wisconsin Main Street designation.[18] 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).[19]

From the 1990s to 2011, downtown Beloit received direct public and private investment totaling more than $75 million.[17] In 2011, Beloit was a Great American Main Street Award winner.[20] In 2012, Beloit was listed #17 on Travel and Leisure's list of America's Greatest Mainstreets.[21][22]

Arts and culture

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File:Beloit Water Tower Place.jpg
Beloit Water Tower, constructed in 1889

Historic buildings

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Beloit's 1889 Water Tower Place began demolition in 1935, which was halted because of the cost. A historic pump station is nearby. The Fairbanks Flats were built in 1917 to house the rush of African Americans moving to the area from the Southern United States. Pearsons Hall of Science was designed by the architectural firm Burnham and Root for Beloit College as a science center. The Lathrop-Munn Cobblestone House was originally built for politician John Hackett. The Castle at 501 Prospect was built as First Presbyterian Church in 1902; it now operates as a Performing Arts Center and Music School.

Festivals

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Beloit's main festivals include the Beloit International Film Festival[24] and Beloit's Winterfest, which includes an indoor playland, ice skating, ice sculpting and toboggan races.

Library

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Beloit has a public library that was part of the Arrowhead Library System which merged with Lakeshores Library System in 2023 to form Prairie Lakes Library System.

Sports

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Beloit is home to the Beloit Sky Carp, a professional minor league baseball team that play in the Midwest League and is the High-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins.[25] The Sky Carp play their games at ABC Supply Stadium.[26] From 1982 to 2021, they played at Harry C. Pohlman Field.

Government

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Beloit is represented by Mark Spreitzer and Stephen Nass in the Wisconsin State Senate, Clinton Anderson and Ellen Schutt in the Wisconsin State Assembly, Bryan Steil in the United States House of Representatives, and Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin in the United States Senate.

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

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File:Beloit College Middle College.jpg
Middle College, on the Beloit College campus, is Wisconsin's oldest academic building still in use.
File:Beloit Public Library.jpg
Hendricks Center for the Arts formerly as Beloit Public Library

The School District of Beloit serves 5,923 students[29] across six primary schools, two intermediate schools,[30] and one high school, offering alternative programming and a charter school. Beloit Memorial High School is the city's public high school. some areas of Beloit are served by the Beloit Turner School District. The district a charter school, The Lincoln Academy, which serves students from grades K4 through 12.[31][32][33]

Beloit College, a private liberal arts college with undergraduate enrollment around 1,300, is located here. Blackhawk Technical College, a public technical school, has a campus in Beloit.

Media

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Newspapers include the Beloit Daily News, a daily serving the Wisconsin/Illinois stateline area, and the Janesville Gazette.[34]

WGEZ (1490 AM) is a radio station in Beloit.

Infrastructure

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Transportation

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Bus

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Highways

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Air

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Notable people

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See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "2020 Decennial Census: Beloit city, Wisconsin". data.census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Cities -". Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas Population Totals: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau, Population Division. March 13, 2025. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Callary, Edward. 2009. Place Names of Illinois. Champaign: University of Illinois Press, p. 326.
  6. ↑ "Frank Blodgett Dies at Age 82". Janesville Daily Gazette. March 21, 1949. p. 1. Retrieved August 26, 2014 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  7. ↑ D.V.M., Ralph S. Cooper. "Arthur P. Warner". www.earlyaviators.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2016. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  8. ↑ Appleby, John Francis 1840 - 1917 Archived February 10, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  9. ↑ "REMEMBER - This Is Beloit |". This Is Beloit |. Archived from the original on May 22, 2017. Retrieved February 1, 2017.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)Internet Archive: Retrieved May 26, 2018
  10. ↑ Atlas Obscura: Brief History of the Cheese Curl Retrieved May 26, 2018
  11. ↑ "Beloit, WI, Operations". www.glenviewcreek.com. Archived from the original on November 15, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  12. ↑ "2020 Gazetteer Files". census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
  15. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
  16. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "The 2011 Great American Main Street Award Winners". Preservation Nation. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved September 26, 2013.
  18. ↑ "Wisconsin Main Street map and founding years" (PDF). Wisconsin Main Street Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 27, 2013. Retrieved September 26, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Wright and Wagner Lofts project looks to honor Beloit's past, build for the future". September 10, 2020.
  20. ↑ Stewart, Erica (May 23, 2011). "The 2011 Great American Main Street Award Winners: Places You'll Want to Know (and Visit!)". PreservationNation Blog. Archived from the original on October 20, 2013. Retrieved September 26, 2013.
  21. ↑ "America's Greatest Mainstreets 2012".
  22. ↑ Adams, Barry. "Downtown Beloit an Emerging Destination". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved March 24, 2014.
  23. ↑ Enking, Minnie (March 30, 1985). "Artist Finds Beauty in Beloit". Beloit Daily News. p. 84.
  24. ↑ Stevenson, Alexandra (August 5, 2017). "In Weary Wisconsin Town, a Billionaire-Fueled Revival". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
  25. ↑ Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  26. ↑ Gavan, Hillary (August 3, 2021). "Fans cheer on Snappers at inaugural night of new ABC Supply Stadium". Beloit Daily News. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  27. ↑ "City Council - Welcome to the City of Beloit". www.beloitwi.gov. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
  28. ↑ "Jerry Gabrielatos named Beloit's new city manager". www.beloitwi.gov. January 16, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  29. ↑ "National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data". Retrieved October 5, 2022.
  30. ↑ Bandt, Wyatt (May 4, 2023). "Beloit moves forward with closing 2 schools". WKOW. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  31. ↑ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Rock County, WI" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  32. ↑ Conniff, Ruth (July 7, 2020). "Beloit billionaire Diane Hendricks' controversial charter school • Wisconsin Examiner". Wisconsin Examiner. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  33. ↑ writer, HILLARY GAVAN Senior staff (September 1, 2021). "First day of school kicks off at SDB and TLA". Beloit Daily News. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  34. ↑ "Our Markets". Adams MultiMedia. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  35. ↑ "1910". Pomona College Timeline. Pomona College. November 7, 2014. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  36. ↑ "Dr. Blaisdell, of Claremont Colleges, Dies". Los Angeles Times. January 30, 1957. pp. 37–38. Retrieved May 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  37. ↑ "Legislative Spotlight". www.legis.state.wi.us. Archived from the original on September 4, 2012. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
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