Janesville Area
Janesville has over 30 miles of paved bike paths that are well-used by residents and visitors. Some paths connect neighborhoods to public parks in the city; others are for commuters. Some trails provide access to scenic natural views, especially those near the Rock River.
The city has established specific trail rules. Service dogs and wheelchairs are allowed year-round. From May 15 to September 15, pets are not allowed in city parks or on trails. Cyclists should always ride single file and in a straight line. They should yield to slower trail-users, who are required to move to the side when stopped. When passing, remember to slow down and give an audible warning. Always pass on the left.
Janesville is named for Henry F. Janes, a woodsman from Virginia. He came west around 1830, and intended to lay out a city that would become Janesville. Other settlers arrived in 1835. That year, it was determined the new town would be named after Janes himself.
Some of Janesville’s settlers came from New York’s burned-over district during the Second Great Awakening. This area was a main seat of social reform. Many who came to the area were suffragists and abolitionists. One reformer and influential member of the city was William Tallman. A supporter of the Republican Party, he convinced Abraham Lincoln to speak in Janesville in 1859. Tallman’s house is now a historical landmark, known locally as “the place where Abraham Lincoln slept.”
Route Descriptions