Romeoville Will Co. Forest Preserve Museum Hosts Unique Exhibit

WILL COUNTY, IL — 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 Build a Community" is on display at Isle a la Cache Museum in Romeoville through March 14.

The indoor museum exhibit allows visitors to view photos, artifacts and publications from the Forest Preserve’s Joliet Iron Works Historic Site 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 Will County 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.

The indoor exhibit at Isle a la Cache Museum provides an in-depth look at the site’s history and features items that cannot be viewed by touring the 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. "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. This gives us a chance to showcase some key items from the collection for public viewing."

Guest said the museum 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,” she 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."

Visitors can view the exhibit 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.

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