Joliet Illinois prison to become a park
Joliet Correctional Facility. Photo by reallyboring
The Joliet Correctional Center is on its way to becoming a new tourist attraction for the City of Joliet, Illinois. Located in downtown Joliet, the imposing limestone structure has long been a local fixture. The prison, known as one of the toughest in the United States, was also featured in such movies as The Blues Brothers and Natural Born Killers, as well as the television series, Prison Break.
Now, according to an article in the Chicago Tribune, "city officials want the prison to star in an entirely different role. Instead of stockades and back-breaking labor, think iPod-carrying tourists listening to audio tours, former guards leading school outings and 'interactive' exhibits. They're promoting the effort with signs such as 'Visit Joliet. Stay for Ten to Twenty' and encouraging people to come have their picture taken outside the prison..."
The Correctional Center is now home to Old Joliet Prison Park. The park has eight information kiosks that offer an insight into the prison’s past and inmate history as well as the famous films that have been shot here. Visitors can picnic in the scenic picnic area with the prison as a backdrop, or just come by to take photos.
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