Old Joliet Prison: A Unique Site of Conscience Along Route 66
Step into the history of Old Joliet Prison and its utilization today
Outside View (2024) by Landmarks IllinoisLandmarks Illinois
Old Joliet Prison
Learn how the former penitentiary went from being one of Illinois’ “Most Endangered” places to a unique site of conscience that continues to draw visitors traveling on Route 66.
1858 - Prison opens
On May 22, 1858, 53 prisoners arrived at Joliet Prison, which was then a single, small structure that still stands today. Larger buildings were still being constructed around it. The prison would remain open for the next 140 years, becoming the oldest prison in Illinois and one of the oldest in the country.
Administration building (2024) by Landmarks IllinoisLandmarks Illinois
Architecture
The prison was designed by then-famous Chicago architect William W. Boyington and built by prisoners from nearly Alton Prison using local limestone. The prison's crenelated towers and rough-faced stone gave the fortress a castle-like appearance.
Prison yard (2024) by Joliet PrisonLandmarks Illinois
1905 - Calls for closure
The prison was built to hold a maximum of about 1,300 inmates, but by the late 1800s, it was over capacity with nearly 2,000 inmates. Calls for closing the prison began in 1905 due to reports of unsanitary and dangerous conditions.
Solitary cells (2024) by Landmarks IllinoisLandmarks Illinois
In response to conditions at the Joliet Prison, the state began construction of Stateville Prison nearby, which opened in 1926. However, Joliet Prison would remain open for another nearly 100 years despite deteriorating living conditions.
Watchtower (2024) by Landmarks IllinoisLandmarks Illinois
1980 - Claim to fame
Many people know of Old Joliet Prison thanks to the 1980 film The Blues Brothers. The movie’s opening scene, filmed on Collins Street in Joliet, features Jake Blues, played by John Belushi, being released from prison as his brother Elwood, played by Dan Aykroyd, picks him up.
2002- Prison shuttered
Then Illinois Gov. George Ryan closed the Joliet Prison in 2002 as a budgetary measure. What would become of the sprawling, vacant structure remained unknown. This prompted Landmarks Illinois to include the prison on its 2022 Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois, calling for a preservation plan.
Outer View (2024) by Ray GracianoLandmarks Illinois
2017 - Preservation effort
After sitting vacant for 15 years, the prison suffered significant deterioration and vandalism. In 2017, the City of Joliet took ownership of the Joliet Prison from the state, and with the support of the Joliet Area Historical Museum, a major restoration project began.
Interior Joliet Prison (2024) by Landmarks IllinoisLandmarks Illinois
2018 - Public tours begin
The prison opened to the public in 2018 as a museum offering tours.
2025 - Site of conscience
Old Joliet Prison continues to attract visitors from across the world. The Joliet Area Historical Museum focuses its interpretation of the prison as a site of conscience, used to inspire discussion about the harms of mass incarceration and the need for criminal justice reform.
Landmarks Illinois Regional Advocacy Manager Quinn Adamowski chairs the Joliet Area Historical Museum and leads many of these public tours. Rather than focus on the buildings’ architects, dates of construction or style types, Adamowski engages the audience through people’s stories with themes we can all relate to: freedom, justice and quality of life.
Landmarks Illinois, Old Joliet Prison
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