Joliet Iron Works Exhibit Opens At Isle a la Cache Museum

One of the Forest Preserve District of Will County's most intriguing preserves now has its own
museum exhibit showcasing the people who kept the downtown Joliet Iron
Works plant humming a century ago.

"Joliet Iron Works: The Industry that Built a Community" details the history of the preserve now known as Joliet Iron Works Historic Site in downtown Joliet.
The exhibit is on display at another Forest Preserve site, Isle a la Cache Museum in Romeoville,
through Sunday, March 14, and can be viewed during museum hours: 10
a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. The
museum is closed on Monday.

The indoor museum exhibit allows visitors to view photos, artifacts
and publications from the Forest Preserve's Joliet Iron
Works collection, which illustrates the remarkable story of Joliet's
steel industry.

"This temporary exhibit brings you back to the days when Joliet was a
center for steel manufacturing and showcases life in and around Joliet
Iron Works in the early 1900s," said Jen Guest, a Forest Preserve
program coordinator. "Using the museum's collection of the company's
newsletter, we get a glimpse of this company and its groundbreaking
approach to safety and the well-being of their workers."

Those who are interested in viewing the outdoor Iron Works remnants,
which include foundations of the blast furnaces and other structures
from the dismantled factory, can tour the Joliet Iron Works Historic
Site preserve, located on Columbus Street, east of Route 53/Scott Street
in downtown Joliet. Preserve hours are 8 a.m. to sunset.

But the indoor exhibit at Isle a la Cache Museum provides a more
in-depth look at the site and features items that cannot be viewed by
touring the outdoor steel industry remnants at the Joliet preserve.

"The preserve's interpretive signs give a general overview of Joliet
Iron Works, but the exhibit focuses on the workers, their sense of
community at the plant and safety issues, which brings the story of the
site to life," Guest said.

The exhibit is a mixture of interpretive panels, photos, videos and artifacts arranged inside Isle a la Cache Museum.

"We have a unique collection of photographs and copies of the
historic company newsletter, The Mixer, that would not be available on
site in the preserve during a tour," Guest explained. "This gives us a
chance to showcase some key items from the collection for public
viewing."

Guest said the Romeoville exhibit is designed to educate visitors
about Joliet Iron Works and its connection to the area and to inspire
them to visit the site in person or to join a future tour or online
program highlighting the preserve.

"Most people from Joliet can link their family heritage to someone
coming to this area to work at companies that made up Joliet Iron
Works," Guest said. "The
preserve is unique and unlike any other that we have in the District. It
tells a story of the community and industrial history, and is home to
urban wildlife."

For online or in-person programs featuring Joliet Iron Works Historic Site, visit the Event Calendar.

Due to the state's COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, museum visitors
are required to wear masks and the building's capacity will be
restricted to 25 percent.

For more information on the Forest Preserve District of Will County, visit ReconnectWithNature.org.