Will County, Illinois
Alternate Route 66, Wilmington to Joilet
Beecher Mausoleum
Brandon Road Lock and Dam Historic District
Christ Episcopal Church
Downtown Peotone Historic District
Downtown Plainfield Historic District
Eagle Hotel
Fitzpatrick House
Flanders House
George, Ron, Round Barn
Heck, John, House
Henry, Jacob H., House
Illinois and Michigan Canal
Joilet YMCA
Joliet East Side Historic District
Joliet Municipal Airport
Joliet Steel Works
Joliet Township High School
Joliet, Louis, Hotel
Lockport Historic District
Lockport Lock, Dam and Power House Historic District
McGovney-Yunker Farmstead
Milne, Robert, House
Peotone Mill
Plainfield Halfway House (Additional Documentation)
Rubens Rialto Square Theater
Scutt, Hiram B., Mansion
Small-Towle House
Standard Oil Gasoline Station
Stone Manor
U.S. Post Office
Union Station
Upper Bluff Historic District
Will County Historical Society Headquarters
A Corridor in Time: The Illinois and Michigan Canal
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln Founding President
Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address
After the Whistle Blows
American House Hotel
Auditorium Building
Bicentennial Park
Boxcars
Bridges in Joliet
Businesses on Bluff Street
Caboose
Civil War Memorial
Civil War Memorial
Demmond House
Des Plaines River
Downtown Historic District
E J & E Depot No. 4
Edwin Porter's Brewery
Elwood Arsenal
Erwin E. Wood
Fehrenbacher Building
First National Bank of Joliet
Forging a City of Steel
Frankfurt, Illinois
From Prisons to Libraries
Gaylord Donnelly Canal Trail Mile Marker 29.1
George Gaylord
George Kiser, Iron Works laborer
German Loan & Savings Bank
Good Eating on Route 66
Great American Crossroads in Illinois
Hickory Creek in the 1830's
High Risks & Hard Work
Historic Lockport
Illinois & Michigan Canal Office
Illinois Sesquicentennial Time Capsule
Interurban Transportation
James McKee's Mill and Dam
Jesse Walker
Joliet Buildings
Joliet Public Library
Joliet Stagecoach Road
Joliet Steam Train
Joliet, Illinois
Joliet/Juliet's First Log Cabin
Joliet's Business Center
Joliet's First Sidewalks
Joliet's First Stone Building
Joliet's First Volunteer Fire Department
Joliet's Oldest Remaining Construction
Katherine Dunham: Pioneer in African Dance
Language Barriers
Lester Frank Ward / Fossils
Level 1: Louis Joliet
Level 2: Jacques Marquette
Level 3: Charles Reed
Level 4: J.D. Paige
Level 5: Frederich Bartleson
LGBT Veterans Memorial
Lock 1
Lockport City Hall
Lockport Works World War II Memorial
Louis Joliet Renaissance Center
Market in Joliet
Masonic Block Building Landmark
Men of Steel
Merchant's Row
Mining Black Diamonds
Morris Building
Murray Building
Natividad Guiterrez
Old Congregational Church
Old Sauk Indian Trail
Oneida Street Steps
Opera House Block Building Landmark
Original Dairy Queen Store
Plainfield House
Plymouth Congregational Church
Post Office Plaza
Prairie Band of Potawatomi
Public Service Building
Quarries Are Us
Quarry Workers / Joliet Stone
Reuben and Betsey K. Flagg
Rialto Square Theatre
Romeoville, Illinois
Route 66 Park
Route 66 Visitors Center
Samuel Benedict Reed
Sauk Trail
Site of Joliet Plainfield Plank Road Toll Gate
St. Louis Store
The Development of Downtown Plainfield
The Hydraulic Basin
The Lincoln Highway - The nation's first coast-to-coast highway!
The Lockport Station
The Marx Brothers
The Norton Building
The Van Buren Sisters
Village of Plainfield
War Memorial
What's Cooking?
Will County Courthouse
William Schuler
Wilmington, Illinois
Women on the Lincoln Highway
"A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand"
"Bluff Street"
"Frannie"
"Whittling Their Time Away"
In 1836, Will County was officially established as a separate county, named after Dr. Conrad Will, a prominent politician and physician. The creation of the Illinois and Michigan Canal in the 1840s played a significant role in the county's development, connecting the Great Lakes with the Mississippi River and promoting economic growth in the area. Agriculture became the dominant industry, with farms producing a wide range of crops, including corn, wheat, and livestock.
The late 19th century brought rapid industrialization to Will County, fueled by the expansion of the railroad system and the discovery of natural resources such as coal and limestone. This led to the establishment of numerous mining operations and manufacturing industries, propelling the county into an era of economic prosperity.
In the 20th century, Will County continued to grow and diversify its economy. The construction of major highways, like Interstate 55 and Interstate 80, facilitated transportation and attracted businesses to the area. Today, the county is known for its thriving manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics sectors, with a population that has steadily increased over the years.
Overall, Will County's history reflects its transition from a predominantly rural, agricultural region to a more urbanized and industrialized area, while still retaining its connections to its Native American roots and natural surroundings.
Brief timeline of the history of Will County, Illinois:
- 1673: French explorers Louis Joliet and Father Jacques Marquette pass through the area.
- 1836: Will County is established as a county in the state of Illinois.
- 1838: The city of Joliet is founded and serves as the county seat.
- 1846: The Illinois and Michigan Canal is completed, connecting Lake Michigan to the Illinois River and boosting economic growth in the county.
- 1855: The Chicago and Alton Railroad reaches Joliet, further spurring industrial and population growth.
- 1919: Joliet Prison, now known as Stateville Correctional Center, opens.
- 1926: Route 66 is designated, passing through Will County and bringing increased traffic and commerce.
- 1960: Joliet becomes the fastest-growing city in the United States.
- 1970: The construction of the Interstate 55 and Interstate 80 interchange further enhances transportation in the region.
- 2000: Will County becomes one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation.
This timeline provides a glimpse into the major events and milestones that have shaped the history of Will County, Illinois.