Everything Joliet is known for
Joliet, Illinois, located southwest of Chicago, has a notable connection to the world of music, with a variety of artists calling it home and several songs referencing the city. Twenty-one artists are from Joliet, including soul singer Ann Nesby and rock drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. The city is also mentioned in three songs, such as "Joliet" by Didjits and "hard travelin'" by The Seldom Scene.
Joliet's musical identity is further enriched by the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66, which aims to preserve the history of musicians with Illinois ties. The city also hosts events like the Joliet Blues Festival and the Porch & Park Music Fest, showcasing diverse musical styles.
Showing top 20 of 21 artists
Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near Joliet.
26 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.
Joliet, Illinois, a city carved from limestone and ambition, owes its name to the French-Canadian explorer Louis Jolliet. While he never settled there, his expedition down the Mississippi River in the late 17th century,…
Prepare to be amazed! This isn't just another building; it's the Rialto Square Theatre, a dazzling movie palace that once reigned supreme during the Roaring Twenties. Opening its doors in 1926, the Rialto was designed…
Check out that stunning building! Joliet Union Station stands as a monument to the glory days of rail travel. In 1912, this Beaux-Arts masterpiece was built to consolidate six different railroads converging here, making…
Pulling into this Joliet neighborhood is like stepping back in time, a time when limestone built the city, and Joliet built the nation. Joliet was founded in 1831, chosen for its abundant natural resources, especially…
This spot whispers tales of Joliet's glory days, when steel forged the city's identity. From 1869 to 1936, the Joliet Iron Works roared, eventually becoming the Joliet Steel Works. It was the second-largest steel mill…
Get ready, because right up ahead looms Joliet Prison, a place that's held some of the toughest criminals in Illinois for over a century. Built by convict labor starting in 1858, Joliet Prison housed inmates for nearly…
This unassuming lock and dam is a watery crossroads, a vital link connecting the Great Lakes to the mighty Mississippi. Built during the Great Depression between 1927 and 1933, the Brandon Road Lock and Dam was a key…
Ever wonder how Chicago avoided becoming a stinky swamp? This powerhouse is a big part of the answer. In the late 1800s, Chicago's waste was flowing into Lake Michigan, the city's drinking water source. To fix this,…
You're driving near a spot that once changed the fate of the Midwest! This is where the Illinois and Michigan Canal played a pivotal role in connecting the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River. Construction started in…
Pull over and step back in time! This 14-block area is the heart of Lemont, a downtown that’s been buzzing since the mid-1800s. The opening of the Illinois & Michigan Canal in the 1850s kicked off a boom here. Suddenly,…
Completed in 1933, the Dresden Island Lock and Dam helped tame the Illinois River. Before this, the river was prone to flooding and difficult to navigate, hindering commerce and development in the region. The lock and…
Imagine Chicago drowning in its own waste – that's what led to this incredible feat of engineering. In the late 1800s, Chicago was growing rapidly, and its sewage was contaminating Lake Michigan, the city's drinking…
Ever wonder how a small town like Wilmington thrived back in the day? This house, the Small–Towle House, holds a clue. It reflects Wilmington's milling boom in the 1850s, especially after the Chicago and Alton Railroad…
Step back in time at Naper Settlement, a living history museum that lets you experience pioneer life in Illinois. Founded in 1969, Naper Settlement is a 12-acre outdoor museum. It's made up of thirty historical…
Naperville, Illinois, though now a bustling suburb, carries echoes of its 19th-century roots, a time when German immigrants heavily shaped its identity. Drawn by the promise of fertile farmland along the DuPage River,…
Ever wonder where the first drainage tiles in Illinois came from? Right here near Goose Lake! In 1855, White and Company started making tiles here, taking advantage of the abundant clay around Goose Lake. They were one…
Imagine escaping the Chicago heat to a sprawling summer home, built for one of the guys who literally invented mail-order retail. This is the George R. Thorne House. In 1899, George R. Thorne, a co-founder of Montgomery…
Imagine holding a piece of history in your hand – a fossil from a time before dinosaurs roamed the Earth! That's the magic of Mazon Creek. Around 309000000 years ago, this area was a shallow delta, teeming with bizarre…
Ever wonder how car dealerships came to be? This stretch of LaSalle Street in Aurora offers a glimpse into the early days of automobile retail. Between about 1910 and 1930, fifteen buildings sprung up here, all…
Get ready to step back in time! This isn't just any building; it's the Two Brothers Roundhouse, a piece of railway history right here in Aurora. Built in 1856, it started life as a roundhouse for the Chicago & Aurora…
Prepare to be dazzled! This is the Paramount Theatre, a stunning example of Art Deco design that has been entertaining Aurora for nearly a century. Designed by the renowned architectural firm Rapp and Rapp, the…
This little island in the Fox River, Stolp Island, was once the heart of a bustling industrial center, changing Aurora forever. In 1834, Joseph Stolp, the island's namesake, arrived and quickly recognized its potential…
Beneath the surface near you lie the ghosts of a bygone era: the remains of seven canal boats. These flat-bottomed boats, likely built between 1865 and 1885, once plied the waters of the Illinois & Michigan Canal. By…
Prepare to be amazed! Right here in Aurora stands a Mayan-style building that looks like it belongs in Central America, not Illinois. This unique structure is the Aurora Elks Lodge No. 705. Construction finished in…
Built in 1860, this store was part of a once-thriving woolen mill industry. The Stolp Woolen Mill Store was constructed on Stolp Island in Aurora, Illinois. The mill contributed to the local economy and provided jobs…
Once the tallest building in Illinois outside of Chicago, the Leland Tower offers a glimpse into the state's architectural ambition. Conceived in 1926, the Leland Hotel project aimed to create a landmark in Aurora. It…