Near Beloit in Rock County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

A Ladder for Fish

Photographed by Susan Van Den Bosch, April 30, 2025

1. A Ladder for Fish Marker

Inscription. This low velocity Fish Passageway has been designed by Friends of Beckman Mill to provide fish access around Beckman millpond. This dam is located in the west branch of Raccoon Creek water shed approximately one mile north of the Illinois/Wisconsin state line in Rock County, Wisconsin. Historically, the unimpeded movement of fish in Wisconsin's rivers and streams has been a significant issue. Wisconsin's earliest natural resource law was enacted by the territorial legislature in 1839 and required he construction of fish passage structures on navigable waterways. Friends of Beckman Mill, in keeping with our pledge to protect the environment while preserving a piece of rural Wisconsin history, has designed and built the first natural low velocity fishway around a dam in the State of Wisconsin. This pool and riffle design allows ever the smallest minnows to rest in the pools as they make their way up the fishway and around the dam. This low velocity design expecialy targets two minnow species found in the stream, the Redfin Shiner that has threatened status and the Starhead Top Minnow that has endangered status.

Topics.

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Environment • Natural Resources • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1839.

Location. 42° 30.605′ N, 89° 10.278′ W. Marker is near Beloit, Wisconsin, in Rock County. It is on County Road H east of West Smith Road, on the left when traveling east. Located outside Beckman Mill County Park by the dam. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 8651 W Co Rd H, Beloit WI 53511, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Wisconsin and in Greater Madison.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Beckman Mill (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); How-Beckman Mill (about 400 feet away); Abraham Lincoln (approx. 7

Photographed by Susan Van Den Bosch, April 30, 2025

2. A Ladder for Fish Marker

miles away); Ken Hendricks Memorial Bridge (approx. 7 miles away); Black Hawk at Turtle Village / The U.S. Military at Turtle Village (approx. 7 miles away); Roy Chapman Andrews (approx. 7 miles away); Beloit College (approx. 7.2 miles away); Rasey House (approx. 7.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Beloit.

More about this marker. Grants from Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, private grants and volunteer labor from Friends of Beckman Mill have made this project possible.

Photographed by Susan Van Den Bosch, April 30, 2025

3. A Ladder for Fish Marker

Photographed by Susan Van Den Bosch, April 30, 2025

4. A Ladder for Fish Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on May 15, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 30, 2025, by Susan Van Den Bosch of Almond, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 112 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on April 30, 2025, by Susan Van Den Bosch of Almond, Wisconsin. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.