Joliet in Will County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Men of Steel
Photographed By Jason Voigt, September 30, 2020
1. Men of Steel Marker
Jobs Drew Workers from Afar
The 1880s was a time of plenty. Jobs opened up for local residents as the economy recovered from the Chicago fire and a national depression.
Creating iron and steel takes skilled machinists, laborers and risk takers. Experienced industrial workers from Western Europe (Ireland, Germany, and Scandinavia) joined U.S. born hires. Soon the face of immigration changed. New recruits left farms in Eastern Europe (Italy, Poland, Slovakia and Russia) seeking promising jobs as laborers. These workers had the least amount of job security and the most dangerous jobs.
(aside:)
The Joliet Works site is often considered the birthplace of the industrial safety movement. The photograph of this group of Safety Boosters was published in the plant periodical, The Mixer, in the 1920s.
Erected by Forest Preserve District of Will County.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1880.
Location. 41° 32.392′ N, 88° 4.749′ W. Marker is in Joliet, Illinois, in Will County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Columbia Street and Illinois Route 53. Marker is off the I&M Canal Passage Trail
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. What's Cooking? (within shouting distance of this marker); High Risks & Hard Work (within shouting distance of this marker); Language Barriers (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Forging a City of Steel (approx. 0.2 miles away); After the Whistle Blows (approx. ¼ mile away); George Kiser, Iron Works laborer (approx. ¼ mile away); Ruby Street Bridge (approx. 0.3 miles away); Route 66 Park (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Joliet.
Also see . . . Forest Preserve District of Will County. Website address for the Forest Preserve District, which is at the bottom of this marker, among several on this trail. (Submitted on October 17, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.)
Photographed By Jason Voigt, September 30, 2020
2. Men of Steel Marker
Marker is located off the I&M Canal Passage Trail, in Joliet Iron Works Park. Two other markers can be seen in the background.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 17, 2020. It was originally submitted on October 17, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 90 times since then and 5 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 17, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.
