Joliet, a city in Will County is trisected and crossed by US Highways 30, 6, 59, Rt.7 and 52 and has easy access to the East-West (I-88) and Northwest (I-355) tollways. Joliet is just 40 miles from O'Hare International Airport and Midway Airport is even closer. It has a rich history that can be traced back to 1673, when the French explorer Louis Joliet who chose this place as an ideal settlement site. Gradually people began to settle and took up farming as a main occupation mainly because of its fertile prairie soil The settlement continued to grow and prosper and was incorporated by the Illinois General Assembly in 1852. Mills and factories were soon established along the banks of the Des Plaines River which was a source of power for the settlers. It witnessed vigorous growth in industries with the opening of the Illinois & Michigan canal in 1848. Joliet is nicknamed the “Stone City” because of its many limestone buildings.
Casino gaming which started in 1992 is an important activity in Joliet. Two important centers are the Empress Casino and the Harrah’s Casino.
Elevation: 600 feet
Land area: 38.1 square miles
Latitude: 41.53 N,
Longitude: 88.11 W
Population: 136,208 (as on July 2005)
Festivals
- The Easter Parade on Palm Sunday
- Antique and Sports Car Festival in June
- Waterway Daze in July
- BBQ Blues Bash, Polka Fest, Latin Music Festival in August
- Pumpkin Fest in late in September/October
- Annual Christmas Parade
