Old Joliet Prison To Be Honored At Canal Corridor Association Event

The following press release was submitted by Greg Peerbolte, chief executive officer at the Joliet Area Historical Museum.

JOLIET, IL — Underscoring its continued importance as a regional destination, the Joliet Area Historical Museum and City of Joliet’s Old Joliet Prison Preservation Coalition will be honored for its work to preserve the Old Joliet Prison Historic Site.

The Coalition is among seven regional honorees at the 26th annual Boat Captain’s Luncheon, the signature fundraiser of the I&M Canal Corridor Association. The Association, marking the 175th anniversary of the opening of the Canal, states that the Luncheon will “celebrate the Placekeepers, Storytellers, and Builders among us.”

Little over five years (and one pandemic) since the Museum and City negotiated access to the site to begin tours in 2017, the Old Joliet Prison has consistently welcomed tens of thousands of visitors from around the world. The Prison was built in 1858, only six years after the City’s incorporation, and the reputation of Joliet around the world as America’s “Prison City” has lingered, even after the site closed in 2002.

In the face of this image, Quinn Adamowski, the current Board President of the Museum and Chair of the Coalition conceded that securing community support was an initial challenge: “Early in the project, our premise for preserving the Old Joliet Prison was acknowledging that it had defined us as community for a century and a half, and it was time for Joliet - as a community - to redefine the Prison to the rest of the world.

"When you consider that the Prison was built before Abraham Lincoln was President, there is an irreplaceable amount of challenging yet critical history that cannot be lost.”

Greg Peerbolte, the Chief Executive Officer of the Joliet Area Historical Museum, noted the Joliet
community stepped up in a big way, so much so that the Museum already received honors for its
volunteerism: “After visiting nearly thirty neighborhood organizations and civic to present our plans, what made the difference was the participation of Joliet’s citizen-volunteers. We were particularly lifted by the help of the men and women of our local building trades community.”

Peerbolte noted that the success of the project was acknowledged with 2019 Governor’s Hometown Award for Economic Development marking nearly 15,000 hours of documented volunteer service.

Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk echoed these sentiments, stating, "I was thrilled to hear of the latest accolade being given to the ongoing prison restoration project. Although a lot of people have played a part in this, I cannot say enough about the volunteers who continue to work at the site to make this possible.”

The Canal Corridor Association is a 501(c) nonprofit that is the coordinating entity of the I&M Canal National Heritage Area, America’s first National Heritage Area.

On August 24, 1984, President Ronald Reagan, as he signed the bill creating the Area into law, declared the National Heritage Area designation as “a new kind of national park” that combined preservation, conservation, recreation and economic development. The I&M Canal National Heritage Area encompasses 862 square miles that include 5 counties and 60 communities that all owe their growth to the I&M Canal. The Boat Captain’s Luncheon, started by Canal Corridor Association Chairman, John Trutter, in 1992, is an annual gathering of canal supporters from throughout the IMCNHA celebrating the work and passion of its volunteers.

If you go:

What: 26th Annual Canal Corridor Association Boat Captain’s Luncheon

Where: Bolingbrook Golf Club, 2001 Rodeo Drive, Bolingbrook.

When: Friday, April 14, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Cost: Individual Ticket: $125 Per Person. Sponsor Table For 10 People: $1,500; Patron Ticket: $150 Per Person.

More Info:

https://iandmcanal.org/event/2...