Joliet was incorporated as a city in 1852. The origin of the name is derived from the French Canadian explorer Louis Jolliet, who in 1673, along with Father Jacques Marquette, paddled up the Des Plaines River and camped on a huge mound on the edge of town, overlooking Joliet, which was named Mound Jolliet.

Education in Joliet
Joliet has a variety of quality options for public and private grade schools, high schools, junior college and universities.

Joliet Junior College

Joliet Junior College, founded
in 1901, is America's oldest public junior college, and one of Joliet's most valuable assets. A quality education newcomer to Joliet is
Rasmussen College. For Joliet area public high schools, there are Joliet Central High School and Joliet West High School and a popular private high school is Joliet Catholic Academy.

Joliet's magnificent Rialto Square Theatre

Joliet is also home to many quality businesses. To discover many of Joliet's finest restaurants and businesses click here.

Joliet is very fortunate that much of its historic architecture has survived through the years. Beautiful victorian homes and limestone buildings are a trademark of the city.

Joliet - Home of the Original
Dairy Queen!

Everyone's favorite ice cream chain, Dairy Queen, opened their very first store in this 1906, two-story, brick commercial building at 501 North Chicago Street in Downtown Joliet on June 22, 1940. The photo above, of DQ's original location, was taken in April 2008.

Joliet - Entertainment City
Joliet is experiencing unprecedented growth in business, entertainment and cultural activities. Joliet is also fast becoming a major midwest entertainment destination featuring a variety of world-class cultural and sporting activities. The main attractions in Joliet are Harrah's Casino, Hollywood Casino, Bookie Magee's OTB, Chicagoland Speedway at Joliet, Route 66 Raceway, Joliet Slammers baseball, and the Rialto Square Theatre, the 'Jewel of Joliet', which has been called one of the world's 10 most beautiful theaters.

Joliet - Transportation Hub
Situated approximately 40 miles southwest of Chicago, Joliet has long been a significant transportation hub. It lies on both sides of the Des Plaines River, a major waterway in Northern Illinois, and was one of the principal ports on the Illinois and Michigan Canal. In the 1960s, Interstate 55 and Interstate 80 made their way through Joliet, linking up near Channahon just west of the city limits. The phrase "Crossroads of Mid-America", found on the Joliet seal, is a reference to the intersection of I-80 and I-55.

Joliet's Union Station (pictured above) is the final stop on the Metra rail lines from Chicago for the Heritage Corridor route from Chicago Union Station and the Rock Island District route from LaSalle Street Station.

Joliet is a vibrant city in Will and Kendall Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, located 40 miles southwest of Chicago. It became the county seat of Will County in 1836.

With a diverse population of 152,000, Joliet offers a family friendly atmosphere and a thriving business community. Joliet features entertainment including the Empress and Harrah's Casinos, Bookie Magee's Hideway & OTB, Route 66 Raceway, Chicagoland Speedway, Splash Station Water Park, Challenge Park Xtreme and the I&M Canal bike trail. The centerpiece of cultural activity is the Rialto Square Theatre, a spectacular performing arts center featuring world class entertainment. Downtown Joliet is home to the Joliet Public Library, many businesses and restaurants including Vela's Tap and the Renaissance Center, Union Station is a historic train station that connects Jolietans to neighboring cities all the way to Chicago. Bicentennial Park is a riverfront entertainment venue featuring indoor and outdoor theatres. The City of Joliet sponsors several festivals and parades throughout the year. Joliet is a tightknit community whose residents are united by a strong work ethic, a volunteer spirit and a desire to help one another because of civic pride.

Built on a strong work ethic, family
values, and community pride,
Joliet is currently the fastest-growing city in the Midwest and the 12th-fastest-growing city in the United States among cities with more than 100,000 people.

As of 2009, Joliet is the 159th most populous city in the United States. The official 2009 population total by a Special Census called on by the City of Joliet in late 2008 from the U.S. Census Bureau for the city of Joliet is 156,417. The racial makeup of the city was 54.2% White with 84,742 whites, 17.0% African American with 26,633 blacks, 0.28% Native American, 1.14% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 8.97% from other races, and 2.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 25.2% of the population with 39,405 Hispanics or Latinos.

Joliet Public Library Black Road Branch.