Janesville
If you were to research the small city of Janesville, you’d quickly learn that it’s the county seat of Rock County, Wisconsin, nestled along the Rock River in the southern part of the state. With just over 65,000 residents, it’s the tenth-largest city in Wisconsin. Together with neighboring Beloit, it makes up the Janesville–Beloit metropolitan area, home to about 165,000 people. Dig a little deeper, and you’ll discover that Janesville has a rich and fascinating history. Long before settlers arrived, the area was home to a Ho-Chunk village, and later became a gathering place for pioneers drawn to the Rock River and fertile farmland. The city itself was founded in 1835 and named after Henry Janes, one of its earliest settlers. Janesville quickly grew into a hub of farming and industry. It played an active role in the Civil War, sending many soldiers to serve in the Union Army. In 1859, Abraham Lincoln even visited and spoke there, staying in the home of William Tallman—now a well-known ...