Beloit
Beloit is located in south central Wisconsin’s Rock County, on the border with Illinois. It’s charming downtown straddles the Rock River and is the city’s historic, economic, and social center. The area has been revitalized with picturesque parks and recreational trails. A ride on all the downtown trails spans nearly nine miles.
The small city is home to Beloit College and several national companies including ABC Supply, Regal Rexnord, and Kerry Holding Company. At ABC Supply Stadium, sports fans cheer on the Sky Carp, a high-A minor league baseball team of the Miami Marlins. Sky carp is a midwestern term for geese that don’t migrate south in the winter. Their abundance equates to the profusion of carp in a pond or river.
Before settlement by white Americans, this area was home to members of the Ho-Chunk nation. A large native community thrived at the confluence of Rock River and Turtle Creek. In 1832 the Ho-Chunk village chief, Whirling Thunder, abandoned this settlement during the Black Hawk War. Private Abraham Lincoln was among the troops (led by General Henry Atkinson) who camped in Beloit while pursuing Black Hawk and his band of Sauk followers.
In the 1820s, French fur trapper Joseph Thiebault came to the Rock River valley to trade with the Ho-Chunk people. In 1836, New Englander Caleb Blodgett purchased Thiebault’s land. That same year, the New England Emigrating Company sent Horace White to find a suitable region of Wisconsin for people from Colebrook, New Hampshire to settle. The level land and waterpower of Turtle Creek and Rock River made the area attractive. White purchased the land, and settlers from New England soon arrived there.
In 1837, the emerging community was named New Albany after Albany, Vermont. The village was platted in 1838 and the name changed to Beloit. The origin of the city’s name is disputed. The most commonly accepted story of its name maintains it was derived from a corruption of the French phrase “belle la terre,” meaning “handsome ground.” The spelling was altered to appear similar to Detroit’s name, another city early settlers admired.
Beloit was incorporated as a village in 1846 and as a city in 1856. In 1846, two years before statehood, a college was chartered and opened there. Today, Beloit College is the oldest continuously operated college in Wisconsin. The private liberal arts college is known for its curricular innovation, international programs, and cultural events.
Beloit’s history reveals moments of cultural progress and openness. Several sites in this area served as waystations on the Underground Railroad, drawing some African Americans to this area. In the early 1900s, an influx of black Americans came to Beloit as part of The Great Migration. As the city progressed into the 19th and 20th centuries, factories and manufacturing grew, making the town a blue-collar urban community.
Today, Beloit welcomes visitors with an assortment of hotels and restaurants. Near the bike trails, the downtown features quaint restaurants and cafés. Bagels & More is a popular stop for breakfast, lunch, or coffee. They offer homemade bagels, sandwiches, soups, salads, and full meals. Their coffee is fair trade and organic, with an extensive beverage menu.
Downtown Beloit is also home to the Flying Pig Treat Shop and Cheezhead Brewing. The Flying Pig is a unique shop that offers gourmet popcorn and soft serve ice cream, and their specialty is flavored shaved ices. Cheezhead Brewing is locally owned and operated, serving up craft brews in a tap room and outdoor beer garden.
For cyclists and walkers, an extensive network of trails travels near the Rock River, passing through downtown and nearby parks. Multiple paths lead off to various parts of the city. Bicyclists may create their own route on the nine miles of paved trails. Most trails have stunning views of the Rock River, and a ride through Riverside Park is major a highlight.