Back in February here in Chicago we had a freakishly warm day of nearly 70 degrees. Myself and some friends decided to go urban exploring and to do some rooftopping and photography at the abandoned Old Joliet Prison.
The story of the prison is actually pretty fascinating, it dates back to around the 1850's and was built with prisoner labor. This was the main prison in Illinois before Stateville opened. Many people say this prison is haunted, and there's actually a lot of interesting history behind this prison. I guess at one time children as young as 10 were held here as back then they didn't really have a juvenile detention system. I believe it was also used as a prison during the Civil War as well.
The Department of Corrections which still manages the property showed up and kicked everyone out before we could make our way to the cell block, but next time I go back I'll try to access that area and get some photos to show you guys. Recently there was a huge fire at the prison, not sure what was affected but we'll see when I go back. !
I've been meaning to make a Youtube video or put together a blog post showing off some of these cool photos I took, but havn't found the exact way I wanted to do it yet, however I can't sit on these awesome photos any longer so I'm just going to share them.
I hope you guys enjoy...
So this first photo is right after the entrance. I wish I had gotten a picture of the front gate. There's a big no tresspassing sign, however there's also a huge 10' gap in the fence so got the impression it's pretty much open but enter at your own risk type of thing. Walked in and up to the main entrance of the administrative building.
They welded a gate over the front door but there's several large square holes you can slide through to enter the building. From there you can go exploring the admin building. Getting to the cell house is a bit tricker and required jumping out a window out to the roof, crossing the roof and sliding down a gutter pipe into the yard where you can access the cellhouse.
This photo below is just after you enter where you can explore the first floor or take a staircase up to higher floors.
The image below shows the admin building. Towards the left of the building that entrance is where you enter right before your standing in the area pictured above.
This next photo below is actually jumping a head a little bit, but I love this picture. Once you go up the stairs and go a ways down a long corridor the floors start getting pretty creaky. I believe there was a fire in here years back which weakened the structure and a large portion of the floor crashed in as you can see below.
What your looking at below is one of a handful of small little plaques they have around the parking lot. This building is an amazing piece of history and a cool place for photographers and urban explorers to checkout. There's a lot of history here, the architecture is amazing, but I have to say unless your willing to ignore the no trespassing sign and enter anyhow there's not a lot to see. If you stay outside there's basically just a medium size parking lot and a handful of plaques showing some of the movies which have been filmed here. You can walk around the exterior and you can actually go checkout and take a picture next to the place where Blues Brothers the movie started with him leaving prison. My point is though if you want to have a cool experience you really have to go inside.
Another picture of the outside of the prison from a bit more of a distance back so you can see it a bit better.
Another cool picture from the entrance. This to me seems like it would be an awesome place to shoot a music video or maybe a modeling photography shoot for a clothing brand of something. Love this backdrop.
This is just one of the cool rooms in the admin building. Some really cool stuff in here, I'll have to dig up some more pics but some offices have marble fireplaces with crazy carved gargoyles and other cool designs. Some of the grafiti in this place is actually pretty well done. I especially love the peeling paint and the look and vibe it gives.
Another small office just off the main entrance.
Not sure why but I really love how this peeling red paint looks.
Alot of cool doorways. I think this is the entrance to a little medical office.
Looks like some type of holding cell near medical office.
This is the window you have to jump out to access the roof and get to the celltowers. In order to get out this window you have to hang yourself out over about a 4 story drop and jump onto a ledge which is rotting wood and creaky. Pretty scarry stuff.
Another photo of the collapsed room from the third floor.
That's the roof you'll run along to access the yard and make your way to the cellhouse. Just below this roof the DOC was patrolling and kicking people out so wasn't able to make our way over there.
This is out in the parking lot. Again if you don't enter the actual prison your visit to Old Joliet Prison will probably last all of 10 minutes as there's not much outside to see other than this gas tank and some signs telling you what movies have been filmed here.
This last photo below is a guard tower or some type of lookout tower. It's pretty shaky climbing up it so I chickened out and didn't go all the way to the top. Maybe next time.
