Joliet Iron Works Historic Site — Attraction in Joliet

While the fall setting might be a distraction for some ,there was so much to see. Prarie grasses and native grasslands abounding. Foundry remains with walkways and placards describing foundry times made the walk informative to the history buffs and fun with the finely graveled path. Route markers abounded on the clearly marked trails. Bike trails looked very inviting and well-maintained. Most of the foundry trip highlights were the bricked smelting type areas that remained from the past . The rusted landscaped buildings were fenced off ( probable because of the spray paint afficianados who should be ,,,,) because of all the spray cans tossed on the sides of the rail tracks. The rusted landscapes make for interesting backdrops for the photographer. A beautifully maintained grass on the sidewalk path with natural foliage alongside made for a burr free walk. I liked the placards and the wide path for walking . There are also portapots at the beginning of...

Despite conservation efforts by the Will County Forest preserve, this site is home to all sorts of characters and vandals. It is interesting to learn about the history of the iron works, but please don't wander here alone. Occasionally, there will be a police car in the lot; best to skip if that happens. It does eventually connect to the I&M canal, but gets 1000% sketchier the further in you go. I think ComEd or BNSF shares part of the roads with the site, so you'll see random trucks drive past every so often. The ruins are just that, ruins. Since they haven't been maintained, it's in everyone's best interest to not disturb any of the crumbling concrete structures and read ALL signage.

IF you decide to wander through this site alone, carrying a metal water bottle and/or pepper spray and be...

Great trail to explore. Historical markers were good generalized info. Would like to have read more specific info about each of the buildings we looked at, as it was hard to figure out their functions, but overall it was interesting. If you have small children, keep them on the walkway or close by as the ruins can be a safety issue. There is also a fair amount of broken glass from kids partying. Trains went by a few times, which was fun to see and hear. There was a police officer patrolling, but would not go alone as it is isolated. Old jail in the distance. We didn't go any farther than the ruins, which was approximately just over 2 miles...