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Old Joliet Prison, Illinois
- Historic building
- In Joliet, Illinois
- 0.6 mi from Route 66
Old Joliet Prison is the former Illinois State Penitentiary in Joliet, IL, a short drive from the old Route 66 corridor through town. Its walls of local limestone held inmates from 1858 until the state closed it in 2002. Movie fans know it from The Blues Brothers and the first two seasons of Prison Break. Since 2018 the empty prison has welcomed visitors on guided tours.
What is Old Joliet Prison?
A walled penitentiary built of pale limestone cut from a quarry on the same ground, with towers, cell houses and an administration building that looks more like a castle than a jail. It sits on Collins Street, north of downtown Joliet.
Across the street stands the smaller women's prison of 1896, designed as a scaled-down copy of the men's prison.
History of Old Joliet Prison
Convict labor raised the prison in the late 1850s, and the first men arrived from the old state prison at Alton in 1858. During the Civil War it held prisoners of war alongside ordinary convicts, and by 1872 it housed more than 1,200 men. As late as 1910 the cells still had no running water or toilets. Women were kept here too until 1933.
The state opened the larger Stateville prison nearby in 1925, yet the old penitentiary stayed in use until 2002. Hollywood kept coming back: Jake Blues walks out of these gates at the start of The Blues Brothers, which earned him the name Joliet Jake.
Visiting Old Joliet Prison: tips
Plan on a guided tour rather than a quick look; visits inside are by tour, so check the schedule before you drive over. From the road you can still photograph the front gate and walls.
The ruins of the Joliet Iron and Steel Works are about half a mile away, and downtown has the Joliet Area Historical Museum, about 1.4 miles off, for more Route 66 history.
Practical info
- Address
- 1125 Collins Street, Joliet, IL 60432
- Website
- jolietprison.org
- Hours
- We have no opening hours for this stop yet — check the official site.
- On site & nearby
Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix
Where to eat near Old Joliet Prison
All diners on Route 66 →
On the map
Full mapOld Joliet Prison with the 6 closest stops and a place to eat (fork and knife). Tap a marker for details.
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Stops near Old Joliet Prison
All of Illinois
0.5 mi from Old Joliet Prison
0.8 mi from Old Joliet Prison
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1.1 mi from Old Joliet Prison
1.2 mi from Old Joliet Prison
1.4 mi from Old Joliet Prison
1.4 mi from Old Joliet Prison
Questions about Old Joliet Prison
Can you go inside Old Joliet Prison?
Yes, on guided tours, which began in 2018. Check the schedule before visiting, because the site is not open for walk-in visits.
Which movies were filmed at Joliet Prison?
The Blues Brothers used it for Jake's release, and Prison Break filmed its first two seasons there. White Heat (1949) also used the prison for exterior shots.
Own or run Old Joliet Prison? Send us a photo or a correction.