Tourist Office
Joliet's amazing history is fascinating and can be described in no better way than with its historic landmarks. A few of Joliet's greatest landmarks are Joliet Central High School, Union Station, and Joliet Steel Works Building. All of these are national landmarks. Joliet Central High School opened in 1901. It was the home of the nation's first Junior College and has been serving Joliet for 100 years. Union Station is also an important landmark. It opened in 1912 and was built to help stop traffic by raising all railroads in the downtown area. Last, an equally monumental monument in Joliet is the Joliet Steel Works Building. It was constructed in 1891. Its design shows the prominence of iron and steel in Joliet. Another group of fascinating emblems from Joliet include the Rialto Theatre, Jacob Henry Mansion, and the Louis Joliet Hotel. These three monuments are very important to the history of Joliet. The Rialto Square Theatre was built in 1912 and designed by Rapp and Rap. This impressive structure shows the beautifully designed features of a 1920's theater. The Jacob Henry Mansion is one of the most renowned landmarks in Joliet. In the 1870's Jacob A. Henry built the mansion with an Italian Renaissance look. It is well known for its amazing woodwork. Finally, the Louis Joliet Hotel is also a famous landmark. Constructed in 1927, the structure contains 223 rooms, two-story lobby and lounge, and is still intact today. In the beginning of the hotel it was considered one of Joliet's finest. It was open as a hotel for 37 years. The last group of landmarks in Joliet includes the Joliet Prison. The Joliet Prison is more than just one building. In fact, it is made up of three. The three buildings that make up the Joliet Prison are the Joliet Prison,Joliet Correctional Center, and Stateville Correctional Center. The Joliet Prison was built in 1858 and cost $75,000. It held enough room for 761 inmates and lies just outside of Joliet near the border of Lockport. At the time it was built it was the largest in the country. When Stateville opened in 1917, Joliet Prison closed and inmates were moved to Stateville. Joliet Correctional Center closed in 2002 because of budget cuts, and the members of it were transferred to Stateville Correctional Center, which is the other maximum-security prison in Joliet. The history of Joliet is a great one and is wonderfully described through its landmarks. Shelly
(c) 2004 - Rene de Vries, Joan Goble and Hajime Yanase |
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