Beloit is a city in and the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of
Mitchell County,
Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
, United States.
As of the
2020 census, the population of the city was 3,404.
History
On permanent organization of the county in 1870, Beloit was selected as the county seat of
Mitchell County, Kansas
Mitchell County (standard abbreviation: MC) is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 5,796. The largest city and county seat is Beloit.
History
Early history
For many millennia, the ...
, and is located northeast of the center of the county on the
Solomon River
The Solomon River, often referred to as the "Solomon Fork", is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed March 29, 2011 river in the central Great Plains of North America. The ...
. The town site of Beloit was first settled by A.A. Bell in 1868 with the idea of improving the water power and for some time was known as Willow Springs. Beloit is named after
Beloit, Wisconsin
Beloit is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 36,657 people.
History
Twelve men in Colebrook, New Hampshire, created the "New England Emigrating Company" in October 1836 and sen ...
, the native home of a first settler. Beloit sits at the junction of the Union Pacific and the Missouri Pacific Railroads.
Local legend has it that the local Indians advised Bell to locate the town at a certain bend of the Solomon river to protect the town from tornadoes. As of 2022, downtown Beloit has been hit with a tornado only once, in November 1922.
The town of Beloit was platted March 26, 1872, and the original description as found in the recorder's office covers all of Section 9, and the south half of the southeast quarter and south half of the southwest quarter of Section 4, Town 7 and Range 7 west. The proprietors of the town were T.F. Hersey, A.A. Bell, George Campbell, Alexander Campbell, C.H. Morrill, Edward Valentine, W.C. Ingram, Daniel Kepler and Vinton Whitehurst. The town grew very rapidly, and in July 1872, was incorporated as a city of the third class. On March 10, 1879, Gov. John P. St. John proclaimed Beloit a city of the second class.
Beloit was home to the
Beloit Juvenile Correctional Facility of the
Kansas Juvenile Justice Authority
The Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) is a state agency of Kansas, headquartered in Suite 300 of 714 S.W. Jackson St. in Topeka. The former agency of the Juvenile Justice Authority (JJA), which began on July 1, 1997, was merged with the Kan ...
.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and is water.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the
Köppen Climate Classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
system, Beloit has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2010, there were 3,835 people, 1,647 households, and 964 families residing in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was . There were 1,842 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.1%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 0.3%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.4%
Native American, 0.2%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.1%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 0.2% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.8% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 1.0% of the population.
There were 1,647 households, of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.5% were non-families. 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.83.
The median age in the city was 42.8 years. 21.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 10% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.6% were from 25 to 44; 26.8% were from 45 to 64; and 21% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.9% male and 50.1% female.
2000 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 4,019 people, 1,623 households, and 994 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 1,851 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.94%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 0.77%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.35%
Native American, 0.37%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.05%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 0.17% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.34% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 1.07% of the population.
There were 1,623 households, out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 5.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.7% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 22.3% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 21.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,227, and the median income for a family was $43,030. Males had a median income of $26,099 versus $20,694 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $17,713. About 5.5% of families and 8.9% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 12.2% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Local
Beloit has a Mayor/City Council form of government. Voters elect eight city council members, two from each of the City's four wards, to four-year terms. Also, the voters elect a Mayor. The Mayor and the 8 City Councilors form the City of Beloit Governing Body.
The Beloit Governing Body meets in business session at 7:00 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. Meetings take place in the Council Chambers at the Municipal Building. Cable channel 12 televises regular meetings.
Districts
Beloit lies within
Kansas's 1st congressional district
Kansas's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Kansas. Commonly known as "The Big First", the district encompasses all or part of 64 counties in western and northern Kansas (more than half of the state), ma ...
, currently represented by
Roger Marshall (politician)
Roger Wayne Marshall (born August 9, 1960) is an American politician, physician, and former military officer serving as the junior United States senator from Kansas since 2021. A member of the Republican Party, he served from 2017 to 2021 as th ...
. For the purpose of representation in the
Kansas Legislature
The Kansas Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kansas. It is a bicameral assembly, composed of the lower Kansas House of Representatives, with 125 state representatives, and the upper Kansas Senate, with 40 state senators. ...
, the city is located in the 36th Senate District, currently represented by
Elaine Bowers
Elaine Bowers (born February 12, 1963) is a Republican Party (United States), Republican member of the Kansas Senate, representing the Kansas's 36th Senate district, 36th district since 2013.
Prior to her election to the Senate, Bowers was a me ...
, and the 107th House District, currently represented by Susan Concannon. On the local level, Beloit is in both the first, represented by Tom Claussen, and second, represented by Mike Cooper, Mitchell County Commissioner Districts. Beloit is mostly in Beloit Township, but the very far north side of the city is located in Plum Creek Township.
Education
The community is served by
Beloit USD 273
Beloit USD 273 is a public unified school district headquartered in Beloit, Kansas, United States. It includes Beloit, Randall, Scottsville, Simpson, Asherville, Solomon Rapids, and nearby rural areas.
Schools
The school district operates ...
public school district, where two of its three schools are located: Beloit Elementary School and Beloit Junior/Senior High School. Beloit Junior/Senior High School contains an average of 230 students per school year. This high school participates in the 3A division for extracurricular activities. The mascot for Beloit Junior/Senior High is the "Trojans."
Beloit also is home to St. John's Catholic Grade School and
St. John's Catholic High School (Beloit, Kansas)
St. John's Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Beloit, Kansas, United States. The school is within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Salina.
History
Pioneer Catholic settlers in the Beloit area had a deep concern for t ...
. St. John's Catholic High School contains an average of 60 students total each school year. This high school participates in the 1A, Division II category for extracurricular activities. The mascot for St. John's is the "Bluejay."
Beloit is home to the
North Central Kansas Technical College
North Central Kansas Technical College (NCK Tech) is a public technical school in Beloit, Kansas, United States. From its establishment in 1964 to the time the Kansas Board of Regents took over the college, the name of the school was North Cent ...
.
Entertainment
Beloit, KS is one of the larger cities in North Central Kansas. Even though it is a small town, it has several places to entertain. The first spot is Beloit's outdoor swimming pool in Chautauqua Park, where most families and visitors spend time during Beloit's hot, humid summers.
Another notable summertime entertainment is the Mitchell County Fair, every summer in the last week of July. The fairgrounds are on the north end of town next to Beloit High School. There are livestock judging contests, food trucks, carnival rides, and demolition derbies.
Beloit's downtown is a third notable spot, the hub for shopping and dining. Popular restaurants include Plum Creek, Bubba Q's Barbecue, The Kettle, and The Soda Fountain. Shopping in Beloit has decreased, but shops worth visiting include Ace Hardware, James Clothing, The Soda Fountain, S&S Drug, and Struble's Strudles.
Notable people
*
Sam Colson, former javelin thrower.
*
Scott Fulhage
Scott Alan Fulhage (born November 17, 1961) is a former National Football League punter who played for the Cincinnati Bengals from 1987 to 1988 and the Atlanta Falcons from 1989 to 1992.
College career
Scott played college football at Kansas St ...
, professional
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
punter with the
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...
and
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...
.
*
Margaret H'Doubler
Margaret Newell H'Doubler (April 26, 1889, Beloit, Kansas – March 26, 1982, Springfield, Missouri) was a dance instructor who created the first dance major at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin. Her dance pedagogy was a ...
, educator.
*
Gene Keady
Lloyd Eugene Keady (born May 21, 1936) is an American basketball coach. He is best known for his 25 years serving as the head men's basketball coach at Purdue University in Indiana. In his tenure leading the Boilermakers from 1980 to 2005, he went ...
, college and professional basketball coach.
*
Waldo McBurney
Ralph Waldo McBurney (October 3, 1902 – July 8, 2009) was said to be the oldest worker in the United States. Until a relatively short time before his death at age 106, he lived and worked as a beekeeper in the city of Quinter, Kansas. Alth ...
, former oldest living worker in the United States.
*
Nancy Moritz
Nancy Louise Moritz (born March 3, 1960) is a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and former Associate Justice on the Kansas Supreme Court.
Biography
Moritz (formerly Caplinger) was born in B ...
,
United States circuit judge
In the United States, federal judges are judges who serve on courts established under Article Three of the U.S. Constitution. They include the chief justice and the associate justices of the U.S. Supreme Court, the circuit judges of the U.S. ...
for the
United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (in case citations, 10th Cir.) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:
* District of Colorado
* District of Kansas
* Dist ...
and former justice on the
Kansas Supreme Court
The Kansas Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority in the state of Kansas. Composed of seven justices, led by Chief Justice Marla Luckert, the court supervises the legal profession, administers the judicial branch, and serves as the st ...
. She was born in Beloit and lived in nearby
Tipton, Kansas
Tipton is a city in Mitchell County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 193.
History
Tipton was originally called Pittsburg, and under the latter name was founded in 1872. When it was later realized ...
until the age of 15.
*
Mathew Pitsch
Mathew "Mat" Pitsch (born ) is an American politician serving as a member of the Arkansas Senate from the 8th district. Elected in November 2018, he assumed office on January 14, 2019. Pitsch served as a member of the Arkansas House of Representa ...
, Republican member of the
Arkansas House of Representatives
The Arkansas State House of Representatives is the lower house of the Arkansas General Assembly, the state legislature of the US state of Arkansas. The House is composed of 100 members elected from an equal amount of constituencies across the ...
from
Fort Smith since 2015; former resident of Beloit.
*
Dean Sturgis
Dean Donnell Sturgis (December 1, 1892 – June 29, 1950) was an American Major League Baseball catcher. He played for the Philadelphia Athletics during the season. He was born in Beloit, Kansas and attended Bucknell University. He also played co ...
, baseball player.
*
Rodger Ward
Rodger M. Ward (January 10, 1921 – July 5, 2004) was a World War II P-38 aviator in the United States Army Air Forces, and an American race driver with 26 victories in top echelon open-wheel racing in North America, two Indianapolis 500 v ...
, professional race car driver. Two-time
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly called the Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indi ...
winner.
See also
*
St. John's Catholic High School
References
Further reading
External links
City of BeloitBeloit - Directory of Public OfficialsBeloit city map KDOT
{{Authority control
Cities in Kansas
County seats in Kansas
Cities in Mitchell County, Kansas
Populated places established in 1868
1868 establishments in Kansas