When was joliet illinois founded

What's New Report. Jump to subpage Jacob Henry Mansion 20 S. Wedding receptions, groups and tours are welcome! Joliet Area Historical Museum N. See the new, 2-story exhibit that celebrates space exploration and the Apollo missions—The Soaring Achievements of John C. Joliet Historic Preservation Commission W. Joliet Public Library Main: N. The bronze statue in front is of explorer Louis Jolliet. Work on the famous National Hotel began in , which soon became an important social center for the town, hosting many balls and social gatherings for the burgeoning city.

By , Joliet boasted a courthouse with a jail in the basement sunk into solid rock. At times the courthouse also served as a church. A new and better courthouse was built in Unfortunately, the National Hotel building burned down in Soon, mills and factories sprang up and the discovery of rich limestone deposits created a new quarrying industry that flourished.

Opening on February 2, , the establishment hosted a variety of functions from burlesque shows to religious revivals.

Wasting no time, the Opera House was rebuilt the next year on the same location and continued to serve the community for many years. In a railroad tycoon by the name of Jacob A. Henry built a 16, square foot mansion from limestone from his own quarry. The room home was lavishly finished with walnut and oak fixtures on the inside including solid walnut staircase with hand-carved octagonal spindles.

The home, which is a museum today, is said to be the largest and best example of Renaissance Revival architecture still in existence in Illinois. In the late s, the abundance of soft coal in the area made Joliet a perfect location for the emerging steel industry and soon Joliet was established as a steel town, the success of which brought with it a flood of new residents.

The city today consists of several railroads built as offshoots of the above mentioned railway, the Rock Island Railroad. The speciality of this limestone was the characteristic bluish white tinge it carried. The building of the Joliet Penitentiary in further raised the demands for stone. The demand was spurred by the rebuilding of several parts of Chicago — after the infamous Chicago Fire happened in By , the Joliet quarries were doing so well that they were sending over three thousand railway cars of stone a month to the state capital.

This mill began attracting several traders and pioneers who chose Joliet as the town to set up new industries. The extensive waterways system of Joliet attracted the Irish immigrants, while the newly built steel mill attracted Europeans, chiefly from southeastern Europe.

The large droves of people moving into the city led to an abundance of cheap labour, which further contributed to the growth and development of the city. Coupled with the steel mill, Joliet became a prime spot for the development of many other industries. The city also built the earliest public community college in America, the Joliet Junior College. The Joliet Junior College, the oldest public community college you would find in the country, is also located here.