Joliet, Illinois


Joliet is a city in Will and Kendall counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County and a major part of the southwest Chicago metropolitan area. At the 2010 census, the city was the fourth largest in Illinois, with a population of 147,433. A population estimate in 2019 put Joliet's population at 147,344, which would make it the 3rd largest city in Illinois if accurate.

History

In 1673, Louis Jolliet, along with Father Jacques Marquette, paddled up the Des Plaines River and camped on a huge mound, a few miles south of present-day Joliet. Maps from Jolliet's exploration of the area, placed a large hill or mound on what is now the southwest corner of the city, since there is no point that is farther southwest. That hill was named Mound Jolliet. The spot was mined by early settlers and is now a depression.
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", named after his daughter. 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". 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

Joliet is located at .
According to the 2010 census, Joliet has a total area of, of which is land and 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 is a Des Plaines River town, with the downtown located in the river valley. This is especially evident on Interstate 80 if one is coming from the east or the west where it has been flat for many miles and suddenly the land drops as one approaches the river. This offers a great view looking north to see downtown Joliet. For most of its existence Joliet geographically has had its "west side" and "east side", referring to areas to the west or the east of the Des Plaines River, which runs through the city. Both sides were roughly proportionate throughout most of its history until the 2nd half of the 20th century when westward expansion began.
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. This began the decline of the downtown shopping district which is still felt today. Today Joliet has a "west side" and a "far west side". 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. This new reference may soon change the current meaning of "west side" to west of Interstate 55.

Waterways

While the heart and history of Joliet is centered around the Des Plaines River Joliet actually expands across both the Des Plaines River and the DuPage River. There are several other waterways that traverse through the city limits including Hickory Creek, Spring Creek, the historic Illinois and Michigan Canal, Jackson Creek, and Aux Sable Creek. Some small lakes and bodies of water include Chase Lake, Lake Juco, Michigan Beach, the Brandon Road Quarry, and Leisure Lake.

Climate

Joliet has a hot summer humid continental climate with hot, wet summers, and cold winters with moderate to heavy snowfall.

Demographics

As of July 2014, Joliet was the 169th most populous city in the United States.
As of the census of 2010, there were 147,433 people, 48,019 households, and 34,900 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,288.3 people per square mile. There were 51,285 housing units at an average density of 796 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 67.48% white, 15.98% African American, 0.32% Native American, 1.93% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 11.32% from other races, and 2.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 27.84% of the population.
There were 48,019 households, out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were married couples living together, 14% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.3% were non-families. 22.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.01 and the average family size was 3.56.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.8% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males.
For 2015, the median income for a household in the city was $60,976, and the median income for a family was $69,386. Full-time, year-round working males had a median income of $51,082 versus $39,235 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,374. About 10.4% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.2% of those under age 18 and 8.4% 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.

Economy

Like many Midwestern and East Coast cities dependent on manufacturing industries, Joliet has experienced past economic troubles., the rate of unemployment in Joliet is around 8.6%. 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 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, Hollywood Casino, and the Rialto Square Theatre, also known as the 'Jewel of Joliet', and has been called one of the world's 10 most beautiful theaters. The 1999 film Stir of Echoes starring Kevin Bacon had scenes shot on at the Rialto Square Theatre, 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 lobby of the Rialto Square Theatre also served the filming of John Goodman's "Balto".

Largest employers

According to the City's 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are:
#Employer# of Employees
1Amazon3,500
2AMITA Health Saint Joseph Medical Center3,023
3Will County2,200
4Joliet Junior College1,553
5Joliet Public Schools District 861,256
6Joliet Township High School District 204916
7City of Joliet894
8Harrah's Joliet800
9ExxonMobil680
10Hollywood Casino Joliet600

Landmarks

Among local landmarks are the Rialto Square Theatre, the Joliet Area Historical Museum and Route 66 Visitors Center as well as the Chicagoland Speedway and the Route 66 Raceway.
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 at Joliet Prison 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.
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.
There are two casinos which originated as riverboat casino in Joliet: the Hollywood Casino near Channahon and a Harrah's hotel and casino downtown. Joliet is the only city in the State of Illinois to have two casinos.
The Louis Joliet Mall is located near the intersection of I-55 and U.S. Route 30.
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; however, 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. 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. 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" thick. 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 former Joliet Arsenal is in nearby Elwood.

Sports

Numerous state and national titles have been won as well as by the Joliet American Legion Band over several decades.
Joliet is home to three high schools that bear its name: Joliet Central, Joliet West, and Joliet Catholic Academy, in addition to 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 14 as of 2018.
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 DuPage Medical Group 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 hosts annual 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.

Parks and recreation

Golf courses

There are four golf courses located in the city of Joliet, they are:
Joliet has 2 miniature golf courses at Haunted Trails located off of Broadway Street.
Joliet has a water park on Route 6 called Splash Station.
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 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. There is a burial mound just south of the entrance on Gougar Road. On the south side of the bridge next to gougers farm house. And a marked burial plot inside the park grounds.
Hammel Woods is also located in Joliet with miles of hiking trails and even a seven-acre dog park.
Splash Station Waterpark featuring the Midwest's only 6 person slide is also located on Route 6 in Joliet.
Louis Joliet Mall located on Route 30 in Joliet hosts a large Cinemark theatre

Bicycle trails

There are several miles of bike trails, which wind through Joliet. 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 terminuses 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, Illinois for longer bike rides.

Education

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

Colleges and universities

School districts serving Joliet include Joliet Township High School District 204, Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202, Oswego Community Unit School District 308, Minooka Community High School District 111.
High SchoolEstablishedEnrollmentFundingLocationMascot
Joliet Catholic Academy18691200Private1200 North Larkin Avenue,
Joliet, Illinois, 60435		Hilltoppers, Angels
Joliet Central High School19013,005Public201 East Jefferson Street,
Joliet, Illinois, 60432		Steelmen, Steelwomen
Joliet West High School19643,125Public401 North Larkin Avenue,
Joliet, Illinois, 60435		Tigers

Elementary and middle schools

Elementary and middle school districts serving Joliet include:
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

City limits

Joliet current city limits reach as far as follows:
The Illinois Youth Center Joliet, a juvenile correctional facility of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, opened in April 1959.
Stateville Correctional Center, one of five maximum security prison for the state of Illinois, is located in the neighboring city of Crest Hill. It is a part of the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Transportation

Situated approximately 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, 30, 45, 52, and 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.
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 would also terminate at the station, The STAR Line, from O'Hare Transfer with an additional stop at Division St. PACE provides local bus service six days a week 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 of 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

Interstate 55

Interstate 80

US Highways

US 66

US 52

US 30

US 6

Illinois Highways

Route 7

Route 53

Route 59

Route 171

, IL Route 53, and the Illinois & Michigan Canal overlap in Joliet Illinois just south of Theodore Street.

Hospitals

Joliet currently has one hospital within its city limits: Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center, 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 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.

Religion

Joliet is home to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet, with Bishop R. Daniel Conlon. Bishop J. Peter Sartain, former bishop of Joliet, was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as Archbishop of Seattle and Auxiliary Bishop Joseph M. Siegel was appointed by Pope Francis as Archbishop of Evansville. Joliet holds a very large Catholic population, and many Catholic institutions, including Joliet Catholic Academy.

According to the official website for the city of Joliet:
Joliet's diverse faith community represents over 60 denominations and offers residents services at more than 150 churches, synagogues, and houses of worship. Along with their spiritual offerings, these houses of worship enrich the Joliet area by providing some of the area's finest examples of Romanesque, Gothic, Byzantine, and Renaissance architecture. The spiritual community in Joliet welcomes newcomers with open arms, offering regular worship services and religious education.

Joliet is also home to the House of Netjer and their physical building. The House is of the Kemetic Orthodoxy, a nationwide ancient Egyptian religious organization dedicated to the reconstruction of the traditional Egyptian Polytheistic religion. The organization is headed by Egyptologist Tamara Siuda, who is the spiritual leader of the organization and its religious society.

In popular culture

In the 1973 Academy Award-winning film, The Sting, the protagonist Johnny Hooker is from Joliet and the film begins with a title card reading "Joliet, Illinois / September 1936."
In 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.
It is one of the settings in Alice Munro's "Illinois," a short story in her collectin The View from Castle Rock.