Beloit Area Collection

Collection

Identifier: AC 17

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Dates

circa 1837-ongoing

Extent

113 Linear Feet (93 boxes, loose and oversize materials)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

This collection contains materials gathered by the Beloit College Archives staff, relating to Beloit and its vicinity, spreading as far out as the state of Wisconsin and some of northern Illinois. Materials include newspapers, government documents (reports, minutes, laws and ordinances), census data, directories, photographs, 19th century handbills, event programs and planning materials, record books, publications, maps. The general series has groups of records on local buildings, businesses, churches, citizens, clubs and organizations, genealogical records, history, laws, parks, politics, schools, amongst other topics. The African American series collects documents regarding the experience of African Americans in the Beloit area, including information about the Edgewater site (aka Fairbanks Flats), where black employees of Fairbanks, Morse, & Co. lived in the early 20th century; and records on the Wisconsin Underground Railroad.

Arrangement

This collection has been compiled over time through separate accessions from offices and individuals. Accompanying documentation may or may not be available. Because original order of the documents is unknown, College Archives staff have arranged them. A portion of the published books come from the Beloit Public Library's weeded collection.

A large portion of the collection was compiled by Beloit resident Dan Weaver and was purchased as one large collection. It originally was housed in labeled black binders containing subject divider tabs with further labels. The contents of the binders were transferred to acid-free folders and titled with the same labels as originally found on the subject divider tabs and binders. Thus, the arrangement of much of the collection (for instance, folders labeled "businesses", "churches", "clubs and groups", "crimes", etc.) are the original categories created by Dan Weaver. Some of these categories have been integrated with existing content in the collection, as gathered and organized by Beloit College Archives staff.

The folder title list as presented here is largely arbitrary, and it primarily represents locations on shelves.