BELOIT, a flourishing post village of Beloit township, Rock county, Wisconsin, on the left bank of Rock river, at the mouth of Turtle creek, 55 miles S. 8. E. from Madison, 78 miles S. W. from Milwaukie, and very near the S. line of the state. It is situated on a beautiful plain, from which the ground rises abruptly 60 or 60 feet, affording desirable sites for residences. The part of the county E. from Rock river is occupied by a fertile prairie, the largest in the state. The village has an active trade, and is amply supplied with water-power, which has been increased by a dam across Rock river, and gives motion to mills and factories of various kinds. Beloit is noted for its fine churches, and handsome, spacious streets. It has several flourishing seminaries, and is the seat of Beloit College, founded in 1846. The Congregational church, built of gray limestone is described as one of the most beautiful in the state. The Galena and Chicago Railroad Company design to construct a branch 18 miles long from Rockford to Beloit. Beloit was settled about 1837, and incorporated in 1845. It now (1853) contains 6 churches, more than 30 stores of various kinds, 3 hotels, and about 3000 inhabitants. The census of 1850 gives only 2732 inhabitants to the whole township. (Baldwin's New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States..., 1854)
BELOIT, P. V., Rock county, on sections 35 and 36, in town of same name, being town 1 N., of range 12 E., 12 miles south from Janesville, and 45 miles southeast from Madison. It is situated on the State line, at the junction of Turtle Creek with Rock River. Its commercial and manufacturing facilities are of a superior character, and the means of education are as great as in any other town in the State. It has a population of 3,000, with 400 dwellings, 1 baptist, 1 congregational, 1 methodist,1 presbyterian, I episcopal, and 1 catholic church; 18 dry goods stores, 10 grocery and provision, 2 hardware and 3 drug stores; 3 stove and tin, 2 shoe, 4 clothing and 2 book stores; 2 cabinet, 2 barbers, 2 jewellers, 4 market and 2 paint shops; 3 saddle and harness, 4 blacksmiths and 2 coopers shops; 1 tobacco factory and store, 3 hotels, 3 flouring, 1 oil, and 1 saw mill, 1 flax factory, 1 foundry, 1 machine shop, 1 manufactory of reapers and fanning mills, 2 carriage and waggon factories, 1 scale manufactory, 1 woollen factory, and 1 candle and soap factory. (John Warren Hunt, Wisconsin Gazetteer..., Madison, 1853)