Joliet is a city in Illinois State, situated around 64 km southwest of Chicago. The city is part of Will County and Kendall County and serves as the seat for Will County. The city of Joliet has a population of approximately 147,500 and is amongst the fastest growing cities within the nation. It is the 4th largest and fastest-growing city in Illinois State. The city of Joliet is near enough to the Chicago metropolitan area that it is presently referred to as an exurb of Chicago.
The city of Joliet was founded during the year 1673 and named after its founder, Louis Joliet, a French-Canadian explorer. The present-day city of Joliet was planned as a township during the year 1834 and was part of Cook County. During the year 1836 it became the county seat of the newly-established Will County. In 1852 Joliet was incorporated as a city. In the year 1858, a state penitentiary was established in Joliet. The area had plenty of building stone, that made it a perfect place for the construction of a prison. By the year 1869, steel had become the city's mainstay, following the construction of the Joliet steel mill. The mill attracted a large number of workers together with other businesses. Along with other Midwestern cities dependent on manufacturing businesses, the city's economy declined in the 1970s and 1980s, with the unemployment rate as high as 25% in the early 1980s. During the 1990s, the city of Joliet revitalized the City Center, established riverboat casinos and promoted the tourism industry.
The city of Joliet offers various arts and cultural activities as well as outdoor recreational facilities. The riverboat casinos - the Empress Casino, located on the Des Plaines River, and the Harrah's Casino, situated downtown - draw thousands of visitors each year. The Joliet Historical Museum and its Route 66 Welcome Center showcase the histories of people who settled the Joliet area. The city of Joliet boasts one of the most beautiful theatres within the globe, The Rialto Square Theatre, called the "Jewel of Joliet". The Chicagoland Speedway is a state-of-the-art facility, that hosts Indy Racing League events and NASCAR. Bicentennial Park is located along the scenic Des Plaines River, and has an indoor theatre and an outdoor bandshell.