The Joliet Iron and Steel Works was once the second largest steel mill in the United States. Joliet Iron Works was initially run from 1869 to 1936. Joliet Steel Works eventually became unprofitable and all operations were ceased by the early 1980s. In the 1990s, the Forest Preserve District of Will County purchased the property containing the ruins of the ironworks to preserve a piece of history. The district operates the site as the Joliet Iron Works Historic Site.
Be sure to bring your camera, as there are some interesting remnants of the site’s industrial past. This preserve also offers access to the regional I&M Canal Trail.