3 Best Landmarks in Joliet, IL

“Old Joliet Prison was built in 1858 and operated until 2002, featured in The Blues Brothers' film. The Historic Site was reopened to the public in 2018 and is managed by the Joliet Area Historical Museum. The tour is a 90-minute walking tour of the Old Joliet Prison, covering the darker side of the historical site. Former prison employees lead the tour. They follow a strict limit of 10 individuals per appointment window. Seventy percent of the tour is accessible to all patrons. Old Joliet Prison has made several appearances in films and television, including the fictional “Fox River State Penitentiary” in the critically acclaimed Fox series “Prison Break,” and in smaller scenes in Let’s Go to Prison, Derailed, and recently, Empire.”

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“The Joliet Area Historical Museum aims to promote awareness, understanding, and preservation of the Joliet area's diverse history. The museum's main exhibition gallery introduces the many stories of the Joliet area and its people. They provide temporary exhibits, and targeted educational programming offers additional interpretive opportunities. They have a gift shop where visitors can view and purchase gifts. Group rates are available for groups of 15 or more. The museum provides free admission for museum members and children ages three and under. Free parking is available in the museum at the corner of Ottawa and Webster streets.”

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“Joliet Iron Works Historic Site is a 52-acre site that was acquired between 1991 and 1997 and eventually became unprofitable, with all operations ceasing by the early 1980s. The site was once the second-largest steel mill in the United States and covered more than 2,400 acres. The place features 0.59 miles of a paved trail that provides a self-guided interpretive tour of the site's historical significance. They offer one picnic shelter for rental, Joliet Iron Works Shelter, with a permitted capacity of 100 people. They also offer self-guided interpretive tours of the site's historical significance.”

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