Joliet, Illinois

History

In 1673, Louis Jolliet, along with Father Jacques Marquette, paddled up the Des Plaines River and camped on a huge earthwork mound, a few miles south of present-day Joliet. Maps from Jolliet's exploration of the area showed a large hill or mound down river from Chicago, labeled Mont Joliet. The mound has since been flattened due to mining.

In 1833, following the Black Hawk War, Charles Reed built a cabin along the west side of the Des Plaines River. Across the river in 1834, James B. Campbell, treasurer of the canal commissioners, laid out the village of "Juliet", a corruption of "Joliet" that was also in use at the time. Just before the economic depression of 1837, Juliet incorporated as a village, but to cut tax expenses, Juliet residents soon petitioned the state to rescind that incorporation.

In 1845, local residents changed the community's name from "Juliet" to "Joliet", reflecting the original name. Joliet was reincorporated as a city in 1852. Cornelius Covenhoven Van Horne was active in getting the city its first charter, and because of this, he was elected Joliet's first mayor. When the city later built a new bridge, it was named the Van Horne Bridge.

Geography

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Joliet has a total area of 65.82 sqmi, of which 65.08 sqmi (or 98.87%) is land and 0.74 sqmi (or 1.13%) is water. It has a sprawling, irregular shape that extends into nine different townships, more than any other Illinois city. They are: Joliet, Plainfield, Troy, New Lenox, Jackson, Channahon, and Lockport in Will County, and Na-Au-Say and Seward in Kendall County. Joliet developed along the Des Plaines River, and its downtown is located in the river valley.

Joliet has a "west side" and "east side", referring to areas in relation to the river.

With the construction of highways and suburban development to the west, many businesses moved from the downtown area to the expanding areas west of the river. Many stores relocated to the west side in new strip malls and shopping centers with more parking and easier access. These changes resulted in the decline of the downtown shopping district, which is still felt today. Today, Joliet has a "west side" and a "far west side" (which includes all city limits in Kendall County). This has given rise to a newly referenced "Central Joliet" portion of the city, which essentially is all land west of the Des Plaines River and east of Interstate 55. Although no locals believe this, some internet scholars suggest this new reference may soon change the current meaning of "west side" to west of I-55{{cite web |access-date=2025-12-22

Climate

Joliet has a hot summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa) with hot, humid summers, and cold winters with moderate to heavy snowfall. | Jan record high F = 65 | Feb record high F = 73 | Mar record high F = 86 | Apr record high F = 92 | May record high F = 95 | Jun record high F = 104 | Jul record high F = 103 | Aug record high F = 102 | Sep record high F = 97 | Oct record high F = 88 | Nov record high F = 78 | Dec record high F = 70 | year record high F = 104

|Jan avg record high F = 53.8 |Feb avg record high F = 57.0 |Mar avg record high F = 70.5 |Apr avg record high F = 79.9 |May avg record high F = 87.7 |Jun avg record high F = 92.6 |Jul avg record high F = 93.7 |Aug avg record high F = 91.6 |Sep avg record high F = 89.6 |Oct avg record high F = 82.3 |Nov avg record high F = 68.2 |Dec avg record high F = 56.7 |year avg record high F = 95.0

|Jan avg record low F = -5.4 |Feb avg record low F = 0.6 |Mar avg record low F = 12.1 |Apr avg record low F = 26.5 |May avg record low F = 37.2 |Jun avg record low F = 47.1 |Jul avg record low F = 55.1 |Aug avg record low F = 54.6 |Sep avg record low F = 42.1 |Oct avg record low F = 30.0 |Nov avg record low F = 18.7 |Dec avg record low F = 3.1 |year avg record low F = -9.1

| Jan record low F = −26 | Feb record low F = −20 | Mar record low F = −7 | Apr record low F = 11 | May record low F = 18 | Jun record low F = 35 | Jul record low F = 47 | Aug record low F = 39 | Sep record low F = 32 | Oct record low F = 17 | Nov record low F = -2 | Dec record low F = −20 | year record low F = -26 | access-date = July 11, 2021 | archive-date = November 10, 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181110040544/http://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=lot | url-status = dead | access-date = July 11, 2021}}

Demographics

|align-fn=center 2010 2020

There were 48,516 households, out of which 42.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.07% were married couples living together, 14.55% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.42% were non-families. 24.02% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.58 and the average family size was 2.98.

The city's age distribution consisted of 27.1% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 24% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $72,871, and the median income for a family was $86,198. Males had a median income of $48,865 versus $30,185 for females. The per capita income for the city was $29,615. About 8.4% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.

From April 1, 2010, to July 1, 2011, Joliet was the fastest-growing city in the Midwestern United States and the 18th-fastest growing city in the United States among incorporated places with more than 100,000 people.

Religion

According to the official website for the city of Joliet:

Catholic institutions in Joliet include Joliet Catholic Academy and the University of St Francis.

Economy

Like many Midwestern and East Coast cities dependent on manufacturing industries, Joliet has experienced past economic troubles. , the rate of unemployment in Joliet was around 6.4%. The city is evolving from a steel and manufacturing suburb to a commuter suburb in the Chicago metropolitan area. Some new migrants to the Chicago area are working in bordering Cook County (the nation's second-most populous county) and living in Joliet.

The downtown area of Joliet has slowly attracted new businesses to the area. The main attractions in Joliet's city center are the Harrah's Casino, Joliet Slammers baseball (Duly Health and Care Field), Hollywood Casino, and the Rialto Square Theatre, also known as the 'Jewel of Joliet'.

The Illinois Youth Center Joliet, a juvenile correctional facility of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, opened in April 1959.

Largest employers

According to the city's 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are:

Government

Arts and culture

The Rialto Square Theatre, a favorite haunt of Al Capone and filming location for scenes from Kevin Bacon's film Stir of Echoes, is on Chicago Street, downtown. Near the theatre, the Joliet Area Historical Museum commemorates the history of Joliet, especially its heritage as a stopping point on U.S. Route 66. Among local landmarks are the Chicagoland Speedway (NASCAR) and the Route 66 Raceway (NHRA).

The Auditorium Building is located at the northeast corner of Chicago and Clinton Streets. Designed by G. Julian Barnes and built of limestone in 1891, it was controversial as one of the first buildings to combine religious, civic, and commercial uses. Nonetheless, people such Theodore Roosevelt visited and spoke at the building. The building was originally built for the Universalist Unitarian Church of Joliet, but the church sold the building in 1993, and it is no longer home to the congregation.

The Jacob A. Henry Mansion, 20 South Eastern Avenue, is a three-story, red-brick, Second Empire/Italian Renaissance-style structure built on a Joliet limestone foundation in 1873 (completed in 1876). The structure is set on bedrock and the entire basement floor is made of Joliet limestone from the building owner's quarry. The walls of the structure are constructed of red Illinois sandstone and deep red brick specially fired in Ohio (wrapped individually and shipped by barge to Joliet). A commanding three-story tower is the focal point of the structure. The structure has steel trim with slate shingles on a mansard roof. The front and side porches are single slabs of limestone. The largest stone ever quarried lies in the sidewalk under the front entry gate. The stone is 9×22×20 ft. In 1885, an immense Byzantine dome was added to the south façade.

The interior of the Jacob A. Henry Mansion has elaborate polished-walnut woodwork, massive, carved pocket doors, original wood mantles, and a solid-walnut staircase. The original owner, Mr. Henry, was a railroad magnate, building railroads in Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois. He had ownership in a local quarry and was a principal stockholder in Will County National Bank. The mansion won the architecture award at the American Centennial Celebration in Philadelphia in 1876. The structure is a local landmark, part of the East Side National Register District and individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Joliet Prison is located near Joliet's downtown district on Collins Street. The prison has been featured in both television shows and movies. One such television series filmed there was Prison Break. The prison was also used for the opening scenes in the 1980 movie, The Blues Brothers, which starred John Belushi as "Joliet" Jake Blues and Dan Aykroyd as Elwood Blues.

The first Dairy Queen store opened in Joliet. The location is now occupied by Universal Church.

Two casinos originated as riverboat casino in Joliet: the Hollywood Casino near Channahon and a Harrah's hotel and casino downtown.

The Louis Joliet Mall is located near the intersection of I-55 and U.S. Route 30.

The former Joliet Arsenal (now the site of both the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery and the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie) is in nearby Elwood.

Sports

-- Joliet is home to three high schools that bear its name: Joliet Central, Joliet West, and Joliet Catholic Academy (JCA), in addition to Plainfield South High School and the closed Joliet East, each of which has sports programs. JCA has been a major football powerhouse for many years and has won more state football titles than any other team in the state, with 15 as of 2023.

Joliet is the home of the University of St Francis athletics, nicknamed the Fighting Saints. The Fighting Saints participate in 20 intercollegiate varsity sports as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) and Mid-States Football Association (MSFA).

Joliet also is home to a minor-league baseball team, the Joliet Slammers of the independent Frontier League. Since the beginning of the 2011 season, they have played their home games at Duly Health and Care Field. The Slammers replace the former Joliet JackHammers of the Northern League. The Joliet Slammers won the 2011 Frontier League Championship in their first season as a team.

Chicagoland Speedway held events from NASCAR. During major races, the large influx of fans means that the number of people in the city is double that of the official figure. Next door to the Speedway, the Route 66 Raceway features National Hot Rod Association events on its drag strip. Joliet Central has become actively involved in Route 66 by building an alternative fuel vehicle. Autobahn Country Club, also located in Joliet, has held the SCCA World Challenge, Atlantic Championship, and Star Mazda Championship races since 2009.

Joliet soccer team Sueño FC compete in the USL League Two competition.

Parks and recreation

Golf courses

Three golf courses are located in the city of Joliet: Inwood Golf Course, Woodruff Golf Course, and Wedgewood Golf Course. Disc golf courses are available at Highland Park and West Park.

Family entertainment

The Pilcher Park Nature Center, located in Pilcher Park, hosts many youth and educational programs. Pilcher Park, one of Joliet's oldest parks, is home to over 640 acres of land that provide a habitat for abundant wildlife and outdoor recreation. Pilcher Park also contains Native American Indian remains and was the site of a Potowatami Indian village. A burial mound is just south of the entrance on Gougar Road, on the south side of the bridge, and a marked burial plot is inside the park grounds.

Hammel Woods is also located in Joliet with miles of hiking trails and even a seven-acre dog park.

Louis Joliet Mall located on Route 30 in Joliet hosts a large Cinemark theatre

Bicycle trails

The Rock Run and Joliet Junction Trails are roughly north–south routes that begin at the Theodore Marsh in Crest Hill, Illinois, and have southern termini on the I&M Canal State Trail. These three paths can be used as a 16-mile loop through western Joliet. The I and M Canal State Trail stretches about 60 miles to Peru. The Wauponsee Glacial Trail also begins close to town.

Education

As of 2009, almost all public-school students in Joliet attend schools in Joliet Public Schools District 86, Joliet Township High School District 204, Troy Community Consolidated School District 30-C, and Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202.

Colleges and universities

• Joliet Junior College, the nation's first public community college
• University of St. Francis

High schools

School districts serving Joliet include Joliet Township High School District 204, Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202, Oswego Community Unit School District 308, and Minooka Community High School District 111.

Joliet area High Schools include Joliet Catholic Academy, Joliet Central High School, Joliet West High School, Plainfield South High School and Joliet East High School (defunct)

Elementary and middle schools

Taft Elementary Sanchez Elementary Culbertson Elementary Farragut Elementary Jefferson Elementary Keith Elementary Marshall Elementary Pershing Elementary Sandburg Elementary Singleton Elementary Woodland Elementary Eisenhower Academy Hufford Junior High Gompers Junior High Dirksen Junior High Washington Junior High & Academy Thompson Instructional Center -- Elementary and middle school districts serving Joliet include:

• Joliet Public Schools District 86
• Troy Community Consolidated School District 30-C (Also serves neighboring communities of Plainfield, Illinois and Shorewood, Illinois) Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202

Career training

Since the early 1980s, the Job Corps of the U.S. Department of Labor has operated the Joliet Job Corps Center on the campus of the former Joliet East High School.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Situated about 40 mi southwest of central Chicago, Joliet has long been a significant transportation hub. It lies on both sides of the Des Plaines River, a major waterway in Northern Illinois, and was one of the principal ports on the Illinois and Michigan Canal. The Chicago & Rock Island Railroad and Michigan Central came through in the 1850s, and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and Chicago & Alton Railroad soon followed, with the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway and Milwaukee Road lines built around the turn of the century.

U.S. Highways 6 (the Grand Army of the Republic Highway), 30 (the Lincoln Highway), 45, 52, and 66 (Route 66) all ran through the city. In the 1960s, Interstate 55 and Interstate 80 made their way through Joliet, linking up near Channahon just west of the city limits. The phrase "Crossroads of Mid-America", found on the Joliet seal, is an allusion to the intersection of I-80 and I-55 (and, historically, the intersection between the Lincoln Highway and Route 66).

Joliet Transportation Center is the final stop on the Metra rail lines from Chicago for the Heritage Corridor route from Chicago Union Station and the Rock Island District route from LaSalle Street Station. A third line, the STAR Line, would have also terminated at the station, but the project was shelved as of 2012.

Pace provides local bus service six days a week (no service on Sundays) with buses leaving from a terminal in downtown Joliet once an hour.

Amtrak serves Joliet Union Station daily via its Lincoln Service and Texas Eagle routes. Service consists of four Lincoln Service round-trips between Chicago and St. Louis, and one Texas Eagle round-trip between San Antonio and Chicago. Three days a week, the Eagle continues on to Los Angeles.

Airports

The Joliet Regional Airport is located off Jefferson Street near Interstate 55. Lewis University Airport is located to the north in the nearby village of Romeoville and is owned by the Joliet Regional Port District.

Major highways

Major highways in Joliet include: Interstate Highways

US Highways

Illinois Highways

Hospitals

Joliet currently has one hospital within its city limits: Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center (also known as St. Joe's), located on the west side. Silver Cross Hospital, now located in neighboring New Lenox, was located on Joliet's east side. These were the only two hospitals in the history of the existence of Will County until AMITA Bolingbrook Adventist Hospital opened in January 2008. In September 2008, Silver Cross Hospital broke ground for a new facility on Maple Road (U.S. Route 6) in New Lenox, immediately west of Interstate 355. All patients were transferred to the new hospital on February 26, 2012, and the old facility was completely vacated and later demolished.

Notable people

Main article: List of people from Joliet, Illinois

In popular culture

In the 1980 John Landis film The Blues Brothers, John Belushi's Jake Blues is nicknamed "Joliet Jake" as he was imprisoned at the now closed Joliet Correctional Center. The Joliet Prison has been a site for many other films and television shows, such as the film Let's Go to Prison, and the opening season of Fox's Prison Break was filmed predominately at the Joliet Prison, at which time part of the prison was still in use.

The 1999 film Stir of Echoes starring Kevin Bacon had scenes shot on at the Rialto Square Theatre (the hypnotism scenes in which James saw the word "Dig" on the movie screen), at the corner of Scott Street and Washington, and at the old Menards that took over the Wieboldt's building at Jefferson Square Mall.

The 2019 American drama Working Man, was shot in Joliet.

In the 2024 action comedy novel Carl and the Big Guy, title characters Carl McIntyre and Devin "Dee" "The Big Guy" Shields both reside in Joliet. After a chase through a nearby oil refinery, Dee and Carl are then chased through Joliet, causing massive damage in the process.

References

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