The City of Joliet, Illinois, is situated 64 km southwest of Chicago within Will and Kendall Counties. It serves as the county seat of Will County. Joliet has a population of 147,433 and is among the fastest growing cities in the nation. It is the fastest-growing and fourth largest city within the state of Illinois. The city of Joliet is close enough to the Chicago metropolitan area which it is presently known as an exurb of Chicago.
The city was named after the French-Canadian explorer, its founder, Louis Joliet, who established the city of Joliet in 1673. The present version of Joliet was a planned community in Cook County. In 1836 it became the county seat of the newly-established Will County. In 1852 Joliet was incorporated as a city. During 1858, a state penitentiary was established within Joliet. The area had plenty of building stone, which made it a perfect location for the construction of a prison. By the year 1869, steel had become the city's mainstay, following the building of the Joliet steel mill. The mill attracted a large number of people along with other industries. Along with other Midwestern cities that are dependent on manufacturing businesses, the economy of Joliet declined in the 1970s and 1980s, with the unemployment rate as high as 25% during the early part of the 1980s. During the 1990s, the city revitalized the City Center, established riverboat casinos and promoted the tourism industry.
The city of Joliet features several arts and cultural activities in addition to a plethora of outdoor recreational facilities. Located on the Des Plaines River are the riverboat casinos called the Empress Casino and the Harrah's Casino. These two casinos attract thousands of tourists each year. The Joliet Historical Museum and its Route 66 Welcome Center showcase the histories of individuals who settled the Joliet region. Joliet boasts among the world's most beautiful theatres, The Rialto Square Theatre, called the "Jewel of Joliet". The Chicagoland Speedway is a state-of-the-art facility, which hosts NASCAR and Indy Racing League events. Bicentennial Park is situated along the scenic Des Plaines River, and has an indoor theatre and an outdoor bandshell.