Serving as the seat of Will County, Joliet is a historic city on the southwestern outskirts of Chicago. It is named after Louis Jolliet, a French-Canadian explorer who paddled up the Des Plaines River in 1673. Joliet was incorporated as a city in 1852 and now sprawls across both banks of the river.
Things to do in Joliet
In the heart of the city is the Joliet Area Historical Museum, which details the people, events and industries that have shaped Will County. It occupies a building designed by G. Julian Barnes in the early 20th century and was once owned by the Ottawa Street Methodist Church. Learn about Joliet’s location on Route 66 and the role that locally raised NASA engineer John C. Houbolt played in landing humans on the moon.
One of the city’s most imposing landmarks is the Old Joliet Prison, which appeared in the 1980 film “The Blues Brothers” and the TV series “Prison Break”. Built with convict labour using limestone quarried on the site, the prison first opened in 1858. Join a guided tour to explore the cell houses, cafeteria and chapel while learning about some of the most notorious criminals to be incarcerated here.
Nearby is the Joliet Iron Works Historic Site, which preserves what was once one of the largest steel mills in the United States. Follow the 2.4-kilometre-long paved trail that winds its way around the site, passing interpretive signs detailing the manufacturing process. Adjacent is the scenic Illinois and Michigan Canal Trail.
Getting around Joliet
Joliet is around 45 minutes’ drive from the centre of Chicago and around the same distance from O'Hare International Airport, which has flights to destinations across the globe. Regular trains connect to the Joliet railway station and buses travel throughout the city, connecting most of its attractions.