THE BELOIT GLOBE STORY

Finishingnet.com has received quite a bit of email concerning the globe that was displayed in the entrance to the main Beloit Office Building. This is an attempt to respond to as many of the requests and inquiries as we can. There is a promise of more information and images forthcoming. Hopefully that information will respond to the balance of the questions.

When visitors came to Beloit and checked in with reception, they couldn't help but notice the Beloit Globe that was prominently displayed. Incidentally many visitors complimented Beloit on the hospitality  and  helpful attitude of the Beloit receptionists. 

 

The "Beloit Globe"  was displayed very prominently in the Beloit main lobby. The globe was positioned in the most central area, a spiral staircase as the backdrop that provided access to the executive offices on the second floor. On entering the lobby there was a seating arrangement  where visitors could comfortably lounge or be interviewed. To the right was a large reception desk . Beyond the reception desk turning right was a  conference room.  Access to the main floor offices were past the seating area to the left.  Elevators were located in the far left corner of the main lobby that would take visitors and employees to the executive offices,  engineering, sales and the many other offices in the main building or the Wood Building. The two gentlemen standing in front of the globe are ExBeloiters Ron Klein and Al Johnson.

Elbert H. Neese Sr. 

The Beloit Globe was dedicated to Elbert H. Neese in 1965. Below is a reproduction of one of the numerous announcements for the occasion.

 

A plaque was located at the base of the globe presenting the globe statistics. The size of the reproduction was to large to be presented in any reasonable manner on the Internet. We have attempted to reproduce it in it's entirety below. 

..AN ASTRONAUT'S VIEW OF THE EARTH

The globe in our main lobby represents a space traveler's view of the planet Earth. By standing approximately six feet from the globe, you view the earth as it appears from an altitude of 7,632 miles in space.

The Rand McNally Geo-Physical Relief Globe is the largest and most accurately detailed relief  globe in existence. Rand McNally originally developed this globe design for use by the National Aeronautics Space Administration (N.A.S.A.) in their astronaut training program.

It is painted to represent summer vegetation in both hemispheres and includes a generalized pattern of ocean depths.

Diameter pole to pole.............................75 inches.

Circumference at Equator.......................Approximately 20' -0"

Overall height........................................ 90"

Rotation.................................................1 revolution in 3 minutes

Scale.............................................. ......1 : 6,700,000 (1 inch = 106 miles)

Vertical Scale.............  .........................Approximately 40 x the horizontal
                                                             (Mount Everest)

Construction..........................................Hand Laminated in Fiberglass and epoxy

Globe axis................. ...........................Inclined at 23 - 1/2 degrees from the
                                                             vertical (Corresponds to                                                              inclination of the Earth's axis)

Weight...................... ...........................530 lbs. (including base, motor and axis)

This globe has been dedicated to the memory of our president and chairman, 
             Elbert H. Neese, Sr. (1886 - 1961).

BELOIT CORPORATION / BELOIT, WISCONSIN, U.S.A.

                                 (Please do not touch the globe)                                                        
                                                                

Many have inquired about the disposition of the globe. It is our understanding that the globe remains in position in the Beloit Office Building and that it was a condition of the sale of the building that it remain so. There is some question whether this condition will be upheld.

Finishingnet.com thanks Alta Green for the photo of the globe and copies of the globe plaque and announcement card. Both ExBeloiters Alta Green and Larry Dawson contributed information for this page. We welcome any comments or contributions concerning the Beloit globe. 

Contact luigi@finishingnet.com