Joliet in Will County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
After the Whistle Blows
Photographed by Jason Voigt, September 30, 2020
1. After the Whistle Blows Marker
Leisure Time
With what little spare time workers had, they took advantage of local social activities in Joliet. Churches, parks, and saloons were plentiful. Theaters were affordable entertainment. Five cents bought your ticket to popular nickelodeons.
Steel Works Club
Starting in the late 1880s, an employee and his family could join the Steel Works Club for $2.00 a year. Membership offered access to a large facility that featured billiards, bowling, a swimming pool, a library and reading room, educational opportunities, celebrity lectures and more.
The club was considered a progressive concept at the time and received a great deal of national attention. The steel company set out to improve the social conditions for their workers, but also to ensure the future success of the iron works by fostering the next wave of workers from the families of existing employees.
Erected by Forest Preserve District of Will County.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment • Industry & Commerce • Religion & Religious Structures.
Location. 41° 32.598′ N,
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Regionally, this marker is in Greater Chicago. It is also in the American Midwest and on the Great Lakes. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Language Barriers (approx. 0.2 miles away); High Risks & Hard Work (approx. Ό mile away); What's Cooking? (approx. Ό mile away); Men of Steel (approx. Ό mile away); The Old Joliet Prison (approx. Ό mile away); Route 66 Park (approx. 0.4 miles away); Forging a City of Steel (approx. 0.4 miles away); George Kiser, Iron Works laborer (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map
Photographed by Jason Voigt, September 30, 2020
2. After the Whistle Blows Marker
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.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 23, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 17, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 280 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 17, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.
