Abandoned Old Joliet Prison

We weren't there to pick up Joliet Jake, nor were we on a mission from God, but still, we were most excited to see the Old Joliet Prison because of its Blues Brothers Fame. The exterior of the prison is instantly recognizable to Blues Brothers Fans, but even if that’s not your thing the sheer scale of the abandoned prison and the atmosphere that surrounds it makes it worth the stop.

The prison was decommissioned in 2002, mainly due to its age and unsafe decay. 

Built in 1858, from limestone quarried on the site, and using convict labor, this behemoth housed up to 1300 inmates at a time. Notorious residents included prohibition era gangster Baby Face Nelson, Martin Luther Kings assassin James Earl Ray, and serial killer John Wayne Gacy (shudder)

In 2018 the Old Joliet Prison Historical Society began running tours of the prison’s exterior, but to be honest, we could see so much of the building from the street and adjacent car park that we declined the tour, (although I’m sure it’s fascinating, and a must do for keen photographers.)

In addition to "The Blues Brothers", the prison has been used as a location for the 1949 film “White Heat”, the TV series “Prison Break” and the 2006 film “Let's Go to Prison”. Bob Dylan’s song “Percys Song” is about an inmate at Joliet prison serving a 99-year sentence.

In 2023 the facility was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s 106 miles to Chicago, we have a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark, and we’re wearing sunglasses.

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Mid-West USA No. 8 -last visited October 2023---