Joliet in Will County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Nelson D. Elwood

Rock Island Lines

— 1852-1952 —

Nelson D. Elwood Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, June 27, 2026

1. Nelson D. Elwood Marker

Inscription. Rock Island Lines
In commemoration of its
hundredth anniversary
October Tenth
Dedicates this marker to the memory of
Nelson D. Elwood of Joliet, Illinois
One of the founders of the original
Rock Island and La Salle Railroad
And director of its successor
Chicago and Rock Island Railroad Company

Erected 1952 by Rock Island Lines.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. In addition, it is included in the Chicago Rock Island & Pacific Railway series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1852.

Location. 41° 31.488′ N, 88° 4.904′ W. Marker is in Joliet, Illinois, in Will County. It is at the intersection of Chicago Street and Jefferson Street, on the right when traveling south on Chicago Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 14 West Jefferson Street, Joliet IL 60432, United States of America. Touch for directions.

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: World War I Memorial Tree (here, next to this marker); Roswell P. Flower (here, next to this marker); Bartleson Post No. 6 Memorial Tree (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named World War I Memorial Tree

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(a few steps from this marker); Samuel Benedict Reed (a few steps from this marker); Civil War Memorial (a few steps from this marker); World War I Memorial Trees (a few steps from this marker); Capt. William E. Harwood, M.D. (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Joliet.

More about this marker. This memorial, along with several other plaques, seems to have been added to this site sometime between after 2020, when the previous courthouse was closed and Chicago Street reopened to traffic. It could not be immediately determined where this memorial was original located.

Regarding Nelson D. Elwood. Nelson Elwood was born and raised in Upstate New York and came to this region to work on the Illinois & Michigan Canal, which was being built in the 1840s. He eventually moved to Joliet, where he was the clerk of Will County and later served two terms as the city's mayor. After being admitted to the bar, he became active in the railroads being built across the region. He was secretary of the Chicago & Rock Island Railroad, and also helped build the Chicago & Alton, whose first stop

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, June 27, 2026

2. Nelson D. Elwood Marker

The Will County Civil War Memorial is in the rear.

south of Joliet was named Elwood in his honor. Elwood is also credited with the decision to place the state penitentiary in Joliet. Elwood was 42 when he died in 1861, and he is buried at Joliet's Oakwood Cemetery. His son James was Joliet's mayor for two years in the 1870s.

The Chicago Rock Island & Pacific Railroad — the famed Rock Island Lines, also known as "The Rock" — had its eastern terminus in Chicago, with Joliet one of the first stops west. The Rock Island Lines grew and thrived into the 1950s before beginning a gradual decline that was further exacerbated by a failed merger with Union Pacific. The last Rock Island train ran in March 1980. A modern railway company acquired the rights to the railroad's name in 2017 and operates today in Mississippi, Kansas and Oklahoma.

Also see . . .
1. Nelson Elwood on Find a Grave. (Submitted on June 29, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
2. Rock Island Railroad: Map, Pictures, Logo, History. From the American Rails website.

Excerpt: "According to Bill Marvel's wonderful title, "Rock Island Line," a group of businessmen spent an evening in June of 1845 planning a railroad of 75 miles to link Rock Island, Illinois (across the Mississippi River from Davenport, Iowa) with LaSalle. What was known as the Rock Island & La Salle Rail Road Company, officially incorporated on February
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, June 27, 2026

3. Three plaques along Chicago Street, near the former site of the Will County Courthouse
It appears that these markers were added to the landscaping around 2021, around when Chicago Street (on the left) was reopened to automobile traffic. It is not known where these markers had previously sat. The green field in the background is the site of Will County's fourth courthouse, a brutalist-style building that closed in 2020 and was torn down in 2024.
27, 1847, would work in conjunction with canal and riverboat operators to move freight and passengers into Chicago."

(Submitted on June 29, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

Credits. This page was last revised on June 29, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 29, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 6 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 29, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.