Old Joliet Prison is open on Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 pm with the last entry at 4:00 pm.
The prison is located at 1125 Collins Street, Joliet IL 60432
Free Parking is available in the lot next to the prison.
pro tip: Purchase your tickets online! Ticket holders can go straight to the East Gate!
May 22, 1858 marks the “beginning” of the Joliet Prison when fifty-three prisoners arrived at a small structure, which still stands, to begin the work of constructing the larger prison around themselves. This included the quarrying of limestone from the vein which runs through Will County just a few hundred feet from the prison.
Upon its opening, the Chicago Tribune declared glowingly, “We came away fully impressed with the belief that the important trusts at Joliet are in good hands, that there is growing a State work which will be for long years to come the pride of her citizens.”
The image of the Joliet Prison, however, quickly changed. Just twenty years later, in 1878, the Prison was filled well over capacity with nearly 2,000 inmates. Reports of unsanitary and dangerous conditions emerged. By 1905, calls for the closure of the “old prison” were made.
The 1926 construction of Stateville Penitentiary, just a few miles north of Old Joliet Prison in what is now Crest Hill was intended to close the prison, but Old Joliet Prison continued to house offenders until 2002, when it was closed by Governor George Ryan as a budgetary measure.
Upon closing, the prison sat abandoned. In addition to normal deterioration that plagues empty buildings, it was subject to rampant vandalism, including arson. Continued vandalism and destruction of the site led Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk to personally petition the state government to allow the City of Joliet to take control of the property in December of 2017.
Since then, the city looked to the Joliet Area Historical Museum to take a leadership role in saving and preserving the site. In 2023 Old Joliet Prison was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. in 2024 work began on preserving the Administration Building which suffered a collapse in 2020, new roofs were installed on both cell houses, and preservation work began on the mid-century modern chapel.
True to its historic and notorious legacy, the Old Joliet Prison now takes it rightful place as an authentic, unique asset which is inextricably linked to the history of Joliet, the state of Illinois, and people impacted by crime and punishment. It continues to draw interest from visitors all around the world.
While we stabilize and preserve the site, there is no heat, running water, and electricity through out. For this reason, self guided and guided history tours are available seasonally. JAHM offers a variety of tour topics which vary through out the seasons.
You may check tour offerings and availability by clicking the button below.
The prison is located at 1125 Collins Street, Joliet IL 60432
Free Parking is available in the lot next to the prison.
pro tip: Purchase your tickets online! Ticket holders can go straight to the East Gate!
May 22, 1858 marks the “beginning” of the Joliet Prison when fifty-three prisoners arrived at a small structure, which still stands, to begin the work of constructing the larger prison around themselves. This included the quarrying of limestone from the vein which runs through Will County just a few hundred feet from the prison.
Upon its opening, the Chicago Tribune declared glowingly, “We came away fully impressed with the belief that the important trusts at Joliet are in good hands, that there is growing a State work which will be for long years to come the pride of her citizens.”
The image of the Joliet Prison, however, quickly changed. Just twenty years later, in 1878, the Prison was filled well over capacity with nearly 2,000 inmates. Reports of unsanitary and dangerous conditions emerged. By 1905, calls for the closure of the “old prison” were made.
The 1926 construction of Stateville Penitentiary, just a few miles north of Old Joliet Prison in what is now Crest Hill was intended to close the prison, but Old Joliet Prison continued to house offenders until 2002, when it was closed by Governor George Ryan as a budgetary measure.
Upon closing, the prison sat abandoned. In addition to normal deterioration that plagues empty buildings, it was subject to rampant vandalism, including arson. Continued vandalism and destruction of the site led Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk to personally petition the state government to allow the City of Joliet to take control of the property in December of 2017.
Since then, the city looked to the Joliet Area Historical Museum to take a leadership role in saving and preserving the site. In 2023 Old Joliet Prison was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. in 2024 work began on preserving the Administration Building which suffered a collapse in 2020, new roofs were installed on both cell houses, and preservation work began on the mid-century modern chapel.
True to its historic and notorious legacy, the Old Joliet Prison now takes it rightful place as an authentic, unique asset which is inextricably linked to the history of Joliet, the state of Illinois, and people impacted by crime and punishment. It continues to draw interest from visitors all around the world.
While we stabilize and preserve the site, there is no heat, running water, and electricity through out. For this reason, self guided and guided history tours are available seasonally. JAHM offers a variety of tour topics which vary through out the seasons.
You may check tour offerings and availability by clicking the button below.