Old Joliet Prison: Dark History Before the Ghost Stories

Old Joliet Prison has become a destination for paranormal curiosity, but the people preserving the site are asking visitors to look at something more difficult than ghosts: the documented history of the prison itself.

A prison that outlived its design

The prison opened in the 1850s and quickly became overcrowded. By 1878, nearly 2,000 inmates were confined there, and reports described unsanitary and dangerous conditions. Although Stateville was built partly to replace it, Old Joliet continued operating until 2002.

After closure, the complex suffered vandalism and deterioration before preservation work made public tours possible again.

Ghost stories are part of the modern conversation

Visitors and tour guides have reported figures, sensations and other experiences they interpret as paranormal. Those stories are real as reports, even when their cause is uncertain.

A 2024 WBEZ investigation also highlighted a very different view from the Joliet Area Historical Museum. Its curator said he has spent time in the prison at night without experiencing anything paranormal and wants the site interpreted around incarceration, injustice and the people whose histories can easily be overshadowed by sensational stories.

What should haunt the story?

Old Joliet is a useful challenge for paranormal tourism. A dark historic building can feel frightening without a supernatural explanation. Overcrowding, disease, violence and unequal treatment are documented parts of the site’s past.

Ghost stories can still be discussed, but they should not erase the human history. At Old Joliet, the record deserves to come first.