Joliet Iron Works Historic Site, Illinois, United States

4IlliniTrav 5:00 PM Nov 9, 2009

Mother Nature Meets Industrial Ruins
I love a nice hike almost as much as I like a quirky attraction. The Joliet Iron Works Historic Site provides both, right in the middle of downtown Joliet. I had never climbed around on industrial ruins before, so this was fascinating. A mile long self-guided walk leads visitors through what was once the country’s second largest steel mill, employing thousands of people. The plant closed in the 1930’s, and preservation efforts began in the 1990’s. Visitors can read a series of markers that describe the steel making process and what it was like to work here. You will leave with an appreciation of what our ancestors did on a daily basis – working here was grueling, hot, dirty and extremely dangerous. The Iron Works is located in an industrial area, right next to railroad tracks, and we saw a freight train and an Amtrak train pass during our visit, along with another train idling nearby. A small creek runs through the park as well. As we walked along the path, we saw a beautiful limestone building in the distance, a castle that looked a lot like Chicago’s Water Tower. We assumed it was a school or city building – it turned out to be the now-closed Joliet Correctional Center, made famous by The Blues Brothers movie and the TV show Prison Break. Joliet Iron Works is located along the I & M Canal Trail, so bike riders can park their bicycles and explore. A newly built shelter and restrooms are near the parking lot.

4Old_Geezer2013 5:00 PM Mar 3, 2012

Worth While Side Trip
The Joliet Iron Works Historic Site which was once the second largest steel mill in the US is an interesting side trip while visiting Joliet. Its’ former location is a short walk or bicycle ride on a paved path from the site’s parking lot. I suggest obtaining copies of the two Iron Works brochures before visiting the site, so that you can get a visual picture of what it looked like when it was in operation. The two brochures can be obtained from; The Joliet Area Museum & Route 66 Visitors Center, 204 Ottawa St. The Joliet Area Museum is also well worth a visit. The Iron Works site contains no buildings, just the remains of their foundations. Each of the positions has a stand that explains the function of the remnants that you are looking at; with photos of the various furnaces, skull house and the other remains when they were active in the iron and steel making process. You will also be treated to a lovely view of the guard houses on the wall corners of the backside of the former Joliet prison. Also a visit to Lockport, IL which is a short drive from Joliet will provide you an idea as to how the Illinois and Michigan Canal impacted this area and our history. The Joliet Iron Works Historic Site is well worth a couple of hours of your time.