THE RIVERS’ STORY
M
ore than a thousand years ago, people settled near
the confluence of Turtle Creek and the Rock River in
what is now known as South Beloit, Illinois, drawn by the
ready availability of water, fish, and productive lands. Native
Americans had a thriving village at the confluence in the
early 1800s, although evidence of the actual location of the
village has not yet been uncovered during studies of the
property.
European settlement of the region also dates to the early
1800s. Survey records of 1836 describe the oak savannah
and prairie grasses that made up the landscape. About that
same time, a local resident – Caleb Blodgett – sold some
of his property near the confluence to the New England
Emigrating Company, marking the start of what would
become the cities of Beloit, Wisconsin, and South Beloit,
Illinois.
The rivers provided a reliable supply of water for steampowered railroad locomotives, and soon the riverbanks
were reinforced to support a busy rail corridor. That same
water provided needed cooling for metal processing, and
the region became a center for foundry work. Much of the
confluence was considered undesirable swampland, and
early settlers filled the lowlands with used foundry sand,
building debris, and other waste.
South Beloit and Beloit thrived in part because of all the
water resources the Rock River had to offer. In recent years
the area around the confluence of Turtle Creek and the Rock
River has become a forgotten asset, mostly ignored by local
residents. Nature at the Confluence seeks to reclaim this
historic gem as a means of bringing together community
residents and encouraging economic development.
– Kay Kruse-Stanton
TRENDS
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