What Is Joliet Famous For?

Joliet is the largest city in Will County and one of the fastest-growing cities in Illinois, with a population pushing past 150,000. But size alone doesn't explain why people across the country recognize the name. Joliet has left marks on American pop culture, transportation history, and sports that reach far beyond the Chicago suburbs. From a prison that became a Hollywood landmark to a stretch of highway that changed how Americans travel, here's what put Joliet on the map.

The Old Joliet Prison

Nothing defines Joliet's national identity quite like the Old Joliet Correctional Center. Built from locally quarried limestone and opened in 1858, it served as one of Illinois' primary state prisons for nearly 150 years before closing in 2002. The imposing Gothic Revival architecture made it look like something pulled from a movie set, and Hollywood noticed.

The 1980 film The Blues Brothers opens with Jake Blues walking out of Joliet's front gates, and that single scene cemented the prison's place in American film history. Decades later, the TV series Prison Break used the facility as the fictional Fox River State Penitentiary, introducing it to a whole new generation. The prison also hosts the Joliet Haunted Prison attraction during the Halloween season, drawing tens of thousands of visitors each fall.

Today the Old Joliet Prison is open for guided tours, and the Joliet Area Historical Museum runs programming that explores everything from the facility's Civil War-era origins to its role in the Illinois corrections system. It's genuinely one of the most recognizable prisons in the United States, and the ongoing preservation work keeps drawing history buffs and film fans to the city year-round.

Route 66 Heritage

Joliet sits squarely along historic Route 66, the "Mother Road" that once connected Chicago to Los Angeles. The city has been designated a Route 66 waypoint, and several landmarks keep that heritage alive. The Joliet Area Historical Museum houses a dedicated Route 66 exhibit tracing the highway's impact on the region. Rich & Creamy, a classic drive-in on Route 66, still serves soft-serve and burgers the same way places did when the highway was in its prime. And the Route 66 Raceway, which hosted drag racing and motorsports events for years, carries the name forward into modern entertainment.

For road-trippers following the old route, Joliet serves as one of the first major stops after leaving Chicago. The city has embraced that identity, with Route 66 signage, murals, and local businesses that cater specifically to travelers chasing the nostalgia of America's most famous highway.

The Rialto Square Theatre

Opened in 1926, the Rialto Square Theatre earned the nickname "Jewel of Joliet" and it's easy to see why. The interior draws from baroque and Renaissance design, with a lobby modeled after the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. The main auditorium seats more than 1,900 people beneath an ornate ceiling that feels more like a European palace than a Midwest theatre.

The Rialto originally served as a vaudeville and movie palace during the golden age of American cinema. After decades of changing fortunes, a major restoration effort brought it back to its original grandeur. It still hosts concerts, comedy shows, and special events throughout the year. Walking through the doors feels like stepping back a hundred years, and that kind of preserved architecture is rare anywhere in the country.

Blues Brothers Connection

The 1980 John Landis film starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd didn't just use Joliet as a filming location. It turned the city's name into a cultural shorthand. When Jake Blues gets released from "Joliet Correctional Center" in the opening minutes, the movie establishes the city as a character in its own right. The film's cult following means that, even 45 years later, people who've never set foot in Illinois associate Joliet with Jake and Elwood's mission from God.

The city has leaned into it. You'll spot Blues Brothers references in local businesses, and the Joliet Area Historical Museum touches on the film's connection to the prison. It's become part of the city's identity in a way that few other movies have managed with their filming locations.

Sports and Entertainment

Joliet has carved out a reputation in the sports and entertainment world that goes beyond its size. Chicagoland Speedway brought NASCAR racing to the region, hosting major Cup Series events that drew hundreds of thousands of fans to the area. The Joliet Slammers play minor league baseball at Duly Health and Care Field, giving the city its own summer sports tradition with affordable family outings. And Hollywood Casino and Harrah's Casino offer gaming and dining options that pull visitors from across the Chicago metro.

Industrial Heritage

Before the prisons and the movies, Joliet built its reputation on stone and steel. The Joliet Iron Works Historic Site, located along the Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor trail, preserves the ruins of what was once a massive steel production facility. In its heyday, Joliet was a major producer of both steel and limestone, earning it the nickname "City of Stone and Steel." Much of the distinctive limestone architecture you see throughout the city, including the prison itself, came from local quarries.

The I&M Canal trail that runs through the Iron Works site is popular with hikers and cyclists today, and the crumbling industrial ruins make for a striking reminder of the city's blue-collar roots.