Beloit Kansas Historical Attractions
Places To See
Discover Our Heritage ~ Discover Our Community
Learn More at BeloitKS.org
 Mitchell County Courthouse  
The stately Mitchell County Courthouse was  built in 1901 from locally quarried limestone. Designed by J.C. Holland, the building demonstrates Romanesque Revival architecture (named after architect, Henry Hobson Richardson) inspired by the ancient Romans. 

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.  Still in use today, the structure houses the majority of the County offices.
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Mitchell County Kansas Courthouse
Mitchell County Museum 
  • 1915 N. Independence
  • 785-738-5355
  • Open… Monday, Tuesday & Thursday: 10a – 4p
This Museum has been provided through the interest, goodwill, cooperation, and generous donations of the people of Mitchell County to preserve their "Heritage" for the present and future generations.
 
The museum is a nonprofit organization which has been in existence since the 1880's in some form. The society reorganized in 1961 and then incorporated on July 9, 1971. It took up residence in the "old Nurse's home" later in that year.
Monetary donations to the general fund supported the expansion project to renovate the old "American Legion" building and the Farmers Memorial.  A significant part of funding for the Mitchell County Historical Society comes from individual donations for specific displays, grain donations and donations of historical artifacts, pictures and family stories.
St. John’s Catholic ChurchThe church was commissioned by Msgr. Michael Heitz and designed by architect Joseph Marshall. St. John’s Church is evidence of the pioneer spirit and determination of the many ethnic groups that built this country.  Visitors are amazed to find “Old World” architecture and art in the heart of Kansas. 
 
Foundation work began in the fall of 1900 and the cornerstone laying and blessing by Bishop Cunningham was on June 4, 1901.  Completed in 1904, the church was built around the old church in the form of a Latin cross. 
The present church is 150 ft. in length, 74 ft. in width at the front entrance; the nave – 66 ft. wide and 62 ft. in length; the transept – 87 ft in length and 34 ft in depth.  The church walls have a thickness of 24 inches.  The two massive towers, 22 ft. by 22 ft., 30 inches in thickness, rising to a height of 100 ft and to 108 ft including the cross surmounting each tower, are familiar landmarks as the traveler approaches Beloit from the South or the East.
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St. John's Catholic Church
First Presbyterian Church  Bell
An historic highlight of Beloit’s First Presbyterian Church is its church bell and tower. The present day bell tower, along with the narthex (church entrance) were added in 1951. At that time the church also obtained one of only six replica Liberty Bell bells cast for the 1876 United States Centennial.  That bell can be seen from the church grounds and still rings beautifully from the church bell tower.
 
Historically, the church’s original construction began in the spring of 1877; the first sermon was delivered in the new building in August, 1878 and was dedicated for service on December 1, 1878. After the bell tower and narthex were added a Wicks pipe organ with chimes was installed in 1955; and, in 1959, an educational wing was added.
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First Presbyterian Church - bell and tower.
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​Little Red School House The Honey Creek School was established in 1874, southeast of Glen Elder.  In about 1942 the original schoolhouse burned to the ground and was rebuilt and had school in it until 1960. 
 
There were three men in Beloit that thought it would be nice for Beloit to have one of these vanishing types of schoolhouses moved to Beloit.  Harold Boettcher, Harold Hill and Maurice McDonald purchased the Honey Creek Schoolhouse and had it moved to its location on Highway 24.  It was painted red and is surrounded by rock posts.  These three men gave it to the city of Beloit and in 1964 it was opened by the Mitchell County Historical Society.