Beloit, Wisconsin

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City of Beloit, Wisconsin
Downtown Beloit

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Nickname(s): Gateway To Wisconsin
Location of Beloit in Wisconsin
Coordinates: 42°30′30″N 89°01′54″W / 42.50833°N 89.03167°W / 42.50833; -89.03167
Country  United States
State  Wisconsin
County Rock
Founded 1836
Incorporated February 24, 1846 (village)
March 31, 1856 (city)
Government
 • Manager Larry Arft
 • City Attorney Tom Casper
 • City Council Kevin Leavy (President)
James Van De Bogart (Vice President)
Sheila De Forest
David F. Luebke
Charles Haynes
Mark Spreitzer
Eric Newnham
Area
 • Total 16.7 sq mi (43 km2)
 • Land 16.4 sq mi (42.6 km2)
 • Water 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km2)
Elevation 751 ft (228.9 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 36,966
 • Density 2,176.6/sq mi (840.2/km2)
Time zone CST (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
Website www.ci.beloit.wi.us

Beloit is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2010 census, Beloit had a population of 36,966.[1][2] The greater Beloit area is home to more than 91,000 residents.[3]

Contents

[edit] Claim to fame

Beloit is the home of Beloit College. It is also home to a Hormel plant, a Frito Lay plant, the world's largest can of chili,[4] and the Beloit Snappers baseball club of the Midwest League. Beloit lays claim to such inventions as the speedometer,[5] Korn Kurls,[6] and John Francis Appleby's twine binder.[7] Korn Kurls, which resemble present day Cheetos, are credited for the founding of the snack food industry. Beloit is the only city in Rock County to have been named an All-America City.[8] Home of the Angel Museum; which boasts the personal collection of Oprah Winfrey's angels.

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.7 square miles (43 km2), of which 16.4 square miles (42 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) is water. The total area is 1.38% water. Location: 42°30′30″N 89°01′54″W / 42.50833°N 89.03167°W / 42.50833; -89.03167.

The city is located adjacent to the Town of Beloit, Town of Turtle, and the Illinois municipality of South Beloit. There is very little agricultural land remaining between Beloit and Janesville or between Beloit and Rockford, Illinois.

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 the extensive Beloit Gateway Industrial Park, as well as in the newly revitalized downtown located along the Rock River.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there are 36,966 people, 13,781 households, and 8,867 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,213.5 inhabitants per square mile (840.2/km²). There are 15,177 housing units at an average density of 335.0 persons/km² (867.7 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the city is 68.9% White, 15.1% African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 10.0% from other races, and 4.4% from two or more races. 17.1% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. Beloit has the 3rd highest percentage of African Americans in the state, after Racine and Milwaukee.[9]

There are 13,781 households, out of which 32.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.6% are married couples living together, 18.3% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 35.7% are non-families. 29.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.57 and the average family size is 3.16.

In the city the population is spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 33 years. For every 100 females there are 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 87.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $36,414, and the median income for a family is $42,083. Males have a median income of $32,870 versus $23,925 for females. The per capita income for the city is $16,912. 12.5% of the population and 9.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 16.4% are under the age of 18 and 6.3% are 65 or older.

Beloit's Diversity % of Minority Population
Beloit 25.43%
Wisconsin 8.47%
United States 23.11%

[edit] Recreation and development

The people of Beloit enjoy a large variety of recreational activities, in part because of the city's uncommon diversity. Beloit is home to a professional minor league baseball team, the Beloit Snappers, as well as a lively riverfront popular with many of the city's dwellers. The downtown, home to many small shops and boutiques, has seen a recent renewal. Upscale downtown condominiums are now visible, with the additions of such venues as Heritage View and the Beloit Inn. Opportunity and easy access to other communities have led to a spurt of growth in the area, with some calling it a renaissance of sorts.

[edit] Culture

[edit] Recognition

  • In 2007, America in Bloom, a national competition between cities declared Beloit as "the best-kept secret of the midwest"
  • In September, America in Bloom named Beloit the overall winner in its population class, Beloit also received top honors for any sized city in the category of landscaping.
  • Anthropologist Margaret Mead described Beloit as "America in microcosm"
  • Beloit has been a Tree City for the past 22 years, earning its place as one of the longest running tree cities in the state, and nation.
List of Tree Cities in Rock County # of years First Year
Beloit 24 Years 1987
Evansville 9 Years 2001
Clinton 8 Years 2003
Janesville 5 Years 2004

[edit] Festivals

Beloit's main festivals include:

[edit] Businesses and organizations

Beloit's Major Industries:

A † indicates Beloit is home to the company's World Headquarters.

[edit] Education

  • Beloit College, a liberal arts college with undergraduate enrollment around 1,300. The campus is notable for numerous prehistoric Indian mounds.
    Beloit College, Prehistoric Indian mounds along with the Middle College
  • Blackhawk Technical College, which has its main campus between Beloit and Janesville, has an adult education center in downtown Beloit.
  • Beloit Memorial High School is the city's public high school. The school is part of the School District of Beloit.
  • National-Louis University is an accredited private non-profit undergraduate and graduate institution of higher learning, organized in colleges of education, arts and sciences, and business and management.
  • School District of Beloit Turner is a small K-12 district of 1,300 students and is in the Town of Beloit.
  • The Roy Chapman Andrews Academy, part of the School District of Beloit, is Beloit's "project based" charter school located at the Hendricks Education Center. Grades 6-12

[edit] Notable people

[edit] Historic buildings

  • Beloit's Famous Water Tower Place went under demolition in 1935, but was halted shortly after because of the sheer cost of tearing down the tower.

  • Fairbanks-Morse complex

  • Beloit Water Tower, constructed in 1889.

  • Part of the Beloit Ironworks, a collection of restored industrial buildings along the city's downtown riverfront.

  • Middle College, on the Beloit College campus, Wisconsin's oldest academic building still in use.

[edit] References

  1. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  2. ^ http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_DP_DPDP1&prodType=table
  3. ^ http://www.ci.beloit.wi.us/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={AA77531B-C0D5-4BC2-A0AE-B58551C3F8C7}
  4. ^ WLRA - Can of Chili
  5. ^ Arthur Warner
  6. ^ Beloit Historical Society
  7. ^ Appleby, John Francis 1840 - 1917
  8. ^ http://www.ci.beloit.wi.us/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={AA77531B-C0D5-4BC2-A0AE-B58551C3F8C7}
  9. ^ http://diversitycontact.wordpress.com/2010/11/16/the-remaking-of-a-city-oshkosh-wisconsin-revisedupdated/
  10. ^ http://www.legis.state.wi.us/spotlight/spotl339.htm

[edit] External links

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Coordinates: 42°30′30″N 89°01′54″W / 42.50833°N 89.03167°W / 42.50833; -89.03167

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