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| Joliet Township, Will County, Illinois | |
|---|---|
| Name | Joliet Township |
| Settlement type | Township |
| Subdivision type | Country |
| Subdivision name | United States |
| Subdivision type1 | State |
| Subdivision name1 | Illinois |
| Subdivision type2 | County |
| Subdivision name2 | Will |
| Area total sq mi | 36.4 |
| Area land sq mi | 35.2 |
| Area water sq mi | 1.2 |
| Population as of | 2010 |
| Population total | 87,398 |
| Population density sq mi | 2,482 |
| Timezone | CST |
| Utc offset | -6 |
| Timezone dst | CDT |
| Utc offset dst | -5 |
Joliet Township, Will County, Illinois Joliet Township is a civil township in Will County, Illinois, anchored by the city of Joliet, Illinois. The township lies within the Chicago metropolitan area and forms part of the suburban and exurban ring around Chicago, Illinois. Its social and built environment reflects industrial heritage, transportation corridors such as Interstate 80 and Interstate 55, and institutions including Joliet Area Historical Museum and Stateville Correctional Center-adjacent facilities.
Joliet Township occupies an area along the south bank of the Des Plaines River and near the confluence with the Du Page River, bordering municipalities including New Lenox, Illinois, Plainfield, Illinois, Bolingbrook, Illinois, and Elwood, Illinois. Major transportation arteries crossing the township include Interstate 80, Interstate 55, U.S. Route 6, and Illinois Route 53, and rail corridors used by Metra and freight carriers such as Union Pacific Railroad and Canadian National Railway traverse the area. The township's landscape includes floodplain areas associated with the Des Plaines watershed and reclaimed industrial sites influenced by the legacy of Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal and local quarries like those operated historically by Joliet Limestone firms. Nearby protected and conserved tracts link to networks such as Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie and regional park systems administered by Will County Forest Preserve District.
The township's settlement traces to early 19th-century Illinois development linked to the Illinois and Michigan Canal era and the influx of settlers contemporaneous with the tenure of Shadrach Bond and the statehood period of Illinois. Industrial expansion in the mid-19th and early-20th centuries was driven by Joliet Correctional Center (the "Old Joliet Prison") construction, quarrying for Limestone used in projects by builders like Daniel Burnham, and railroads such as the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company. Labor and immigration patterns reflect arrivals from Ireland, Italy, and Poland, paralleling larger flows to Chicago, Illinois. The township was affected by national events including the Great Depression, New Deal programs under Franklin D. Roosevelt, wartime industrial mobilization in the World War II era, and postwar suburbanization associated with policies such as the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956.
Census profiles for the township align with trends observed across the Chicago metropolitan area and Will County, Illinois: population growth through the 20th century, diversification in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, and varying household composition influenced by employment centers like Joliet Iron Works-era industries and later logistics hubs. Racial and ethnic composition includes communities with roots in African American Great Migration, Latino Americans from regions including Mexico and Puerto Rico, and continued European ancestries from countries such as Germany and Poland. Age distributions, income brackets, and educational attainment mirror suburban matrices found in neighboring jurisdictions including Bolingbrook, Illinois and Plainfield, Illinois, with socioeconomic indicators influenced by employers like Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center and distribution centers serving firms such as Amazon (company) and regional manufacturing plants.
Joliet Township operates within the statutory township model recognized by the State of Illinois and coordinates services with Will County, Illinois offices. Political administration interacts with elected county officials in Joliet Township Supervisor-led structures and with municipal governments of Joliet, Illinois and adjacent cities. In broader electoral patterns, the township participates in federal contests for seats held by representatives in the United States House of Representatives from relevant districts and statewide races including those for Governor of Illinois, often reflecting swing dynamics comparable to suburban precincts in the Chicago metropolitan area.
Primary and secondary education in the township is provided by districts such as Joliet Township High School District 204 and Joliet Public Schools District 86, with high school campuses including Joliet Central High School and Joliet West High School. Higher education options are accessible locally via Joliet Junior College—one of the nation's earliest community colleges—and nearby universities like Governors State University and Aurora University. Educational partnerships link to workforce development entities including Will County Center for Economic Development and programs funded by the Illinois Board of Higher Education.
The township's economy has shifted from quarrying and steel-related manufacturing toward logistics, healthcare, retail, and corrections-related employment centered around institutions such as Stateville Correctional Center and regional hospitals like Silver Cross Hospital. Freight and passenger rail connections include services by Metra's Rock Island District and freight carriers BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad, while highway access via Interstate 80 and Interstate 55 supports distribution centers serving companies including Walmart (company) and regional manufacturers. Utilities and municipal services coordinate with entities like ComEd and Nicor Gas and with regional planning bodies including the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.
Recreational resources encompass parks and historic sites managed by local bodies and the Will County Forest Preserve District, including riverfront access along the Des Plaines River and cultural sites like the Joliet Area Historical Museum and preserved structures such as the Old Joliet Prison (Joliet Correctional Center) grounds. Trails and greenways connect to regional networks such as the I&M Canal Trail and adjacent conservation areas like Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, supporting boating, hiking, and community events tied to festivals and local organizations including the Joliet Chamber of Commerce.