Joliet

Joliet is a city in Will and Kendall counties in Illinois, roughly 35 miles (56 kilometers) southwest of Chicago. The urban area spreads across flat plains and low ridges, crossed by wide roads, residential blocks and commercial zones that once held steel mills and quarries.

The settlement started in 1833 when a pioneer built a cabin on a bluff above the Des Plaines River. Over the following decades, stone cutters, steel foundries and railroad companies moved in, turning the place into a major production site by the 20th century.

Residents often refer to their home by its connection to the river that runs through the western neighborhoods and once supplied limestone quarries with water. Today shops, warehouses and housing clusters along the main roads show how the place has shifted from factory work to distribution centers.

The city sits on several highways, making arrival from any direction straightforward. Visitors find public parking in the center and can walk the main street blocks on foot, though distances between points of interest are easier to cover by car.

In the late 19th century, workers quarried limestone from large pits along the riverbank, which later filled with water and now form small lakes. Some of these former pits lie hidden between neighborhoods and are barely visible from the road.

Location: Will County

Location: Kendall County

Inception: 1833

Elevation above the sea: 165 m

Website: https://joliet.gov

GPS coordinates: 41.52519,-88.08340

Latest update: December 12, 2025 21:12