Rare Photos: Joliet's 19th Century Will County Courthouse

JOLIET, IL — This summer, hundreds of construction workers are building a towering structure that will dominate downtown Joliet's skyline, a $215 million 10-story-tall courthouse for the residents of Will County. Will County's politicians like County Executive Larry Walsh have promised that it will be a remarkable architectural gem for downtown Joliet. That remains to be seen.

Joliet's current courthouse is considered an ugly building and many people who work inside the four-story complex can't wait to get out.

One of Joliet's biggest mistakes, many people have said, was when Will County politicians decided to tear down the Will County Courthouse that existed from 1887 until 1969 to erect the current building made of concrete.

Believe it or not, the 1887 courthouse, made of Joliet limestone, was actually the third courthouse for Will County.

As part of our new Joliet Patch weekend area history feature, we're revisiting this snapshot in time from the days of long ago when Joliet had a beautiful courthouse occupying its public square in downtown Joliet.

These photos are courtesy of the collection at the Joliet Area Historical Museum. Enjoy this stroll down memory lane.

All images used in this article are used courtesy of the Joliet Area Historical Museum's archives.