The beautiful and historic City of Beloit is located along Interstate 39/90, just north of the Wisconsin border.  The City Center is located along the beautiful Rock River, while the new Gateway Business Park is easily accessible on the east side of the Interstate.  The City is conveniently located with the City of Chicago to the southeast along Interstate 90, while Madison, Wisconsin is less than an hour’s drive to the north.  The City is directly connected to Milwaukee via Interstate Highway 43, which merges with Interstate 39/90 in Beloit, forming a strategic transportation network in the nation’s heartland.

At the beginning of the 1800’s, several hundred Native Americans of the Winnebago tribe lived in a village called Ke-chunk-nee-shun-nuk-ra, or the Turtle, where the Rock River and Turtle Creek join. The first known white man to settle in Rock County alongside the Winnebago was Joseph Thiebault, a French trapper who came to the area in the 1820s to trade with the tribe. Thiebault's cabin was located just north of the state line, near the site where Beloit City Hall now stands.

Caleb Blodgett, another of the earliest pioneers and merchants, dubbed this place New Albany but, a citizen committee soon renamed it. Although the exact history remains disputed, it seems that the name Beloit was coined from a French word, Balotte, to mean "handsome ground"; the spelling was then fashioned after Detroit, which the community saw as a great symbol of trade and growth.

The first African-Americans living in Beloit were Emmanuel Craig, a coachman, and his family. Arriving in the mid-1830s, the Craig’s were among those who witnessed the formation of the township government in 1842 and the founding of Beloit College in 1846, two years before Wisconsin achieved statehood.

Beloit was founded in 1836, incorporated as a village February 24, 1846 and officially incorporated as a city by the State of Wisconsin on March 31, 1856.  The citizens adopted a Council-Manager form of government in 1929.

One hundred and sixty-one years after founding, the City of Beloit covers approximately 17 square miles.  It is home to 37,110 residents as well as more than 88 industrial firms, 850 retail establishments, several corporate headquarters, a minor league baseball team, several museums and an internationally acclaimed college that bears the community's name.

The City is also a center for the arts and includes many cultural assets.  The Wright Museum of Art and the internationally acclaimed Logan Museum of Anthropology are located at Beloit College.  The exciting new Industrial Arts Museum and the ever popular Angel Museum, along with the City’s Historical Society and the Hanchett-Bartlett Homestead celebrate the City’s proud heritage.  Many beautiful pieces of public art adorn the riverfront, downtown and the Beloit College Campus.    The City shares a world-class symphony orchestra with its neighbors in Janesville, has numerous special arts events and activities each year, and is very proud of its professional summer stock theater. 

One of the most ethnically diverse communities in the Midwest, Beloit's population is 67% Caucasian, 15% African-American, 9% Hispanic/Latino, and 1% Asian-American, with another 8% from other ethnic or racial backgrounds.

As with many other old, gray-metal industrial cities, Beloit underwent significant economic distress during the 1970’s and 80’s.  By 1990, civic leadership, including the CEO’s of many resident corporations partnered with leaders of key financial institutions and the College to form Beloit 2000 (now called 2020), a visionary organization that spearheaded City Center redevelopment.  Beloit 2000, working in partnership with the City, has transformed the Rock River into a world class open space and recreation complex, heavily utilized throughout the year.  Downtown renovation and continuing economic redevelopment are the hallmarks of the City’s continuing rebirth.  While new businesses relocate to Beloit and existing corporations expand and grow, the community continues to celebrate its rich heritage and cultural diversity.  The local government, business leaders and concerned residents are all working together to continue the urban renaissance which has transformed Beloit into a gem of the Rock River Valley.

Learn more about this city

City of BELOIT, WI official site

City of BELOIT, WI general information

City of BELOIT, WI yellow pages

City of BELOIT, WI newspaper

County of LAFAYETTE, WI official site