In 1837, Henry Janes, one of the area's first settlers, proposed the name "Black Hawk" for the small southern Wisconsin settlement he lived in, but the US Post Office chose Janesville. The village along the Rock River was selected as the Rock County seat, and by 1860 it had grown to become Wisconsin's second largest city. Janesville developed into an important railroad town and, because of its waterpower, a milling and manufacturing center. General Motors built a large plant, and George Parker started the Parker Pen Company here. As the city grew, land was donated or set aside for recreation, and today Janesville calls itself Wisconsin's Park Place. Its population has grown to more than 62,000.

In Encore! The Renaissance of Wisconsin Opera Houses, Brian Leahy Doyle chronicles the histories of ten Wisconsin opera houses and theaters, from their construction to their heydays as live performance spaces and through the periods when many of these stages went dark. All but one of the featured theaters has been restored to its original splendor. Just as the beginnings of these theaters were often the result of the efforts of local citizens, Doyle discovers that their restoration is due to the commitment of dedicated and passionate people. More than one of these revived theaters has spurred the revitalization of its surrounding downtown business district as well.

Includes titles on all subjects, some in foreign languages, later incorporated into Memorial Library.