The Old Joliet Prison

By: Sara Cahill Staff Writer

Exploring a haunted prison is the best way to kick off the Halloween season! I had the opportunity to take a tour of the Old Joliet Prison, located only three miles from campus. The prison stands on 25 acres of land and according to www.jolietprison.org, housed around 2,000 inmates in 1878. With many tour options available, my friends and I decided to take on a haunted flashlight tour, which started at 6 p.m. and lasted until it was pitch black.

The prison opened in 1878, but due to financial struggles and unsafe building conditions, the prison closed in 2002. When we stepped onto the grounds, it felt as though it was abandoned one day, with no one looking back. The laundry machines were still intact and bunk beds were still assembled in cells. Our guide had told us about a few haunting moments that she experienced while walking through the buildings. Once she felt someone stroking her hair and another time she had tripped on the stairs and a voice called out to her, “don’t fall!” Before we began the tour, she had mentioned that the spirits take attention to blonde women, which made the hairs stand on the back of my arms. Thankfully I didn’t encounter any paranormal activity, but University of St. Francis senior, Dee Olabi, had seen some questionable activity. She stated, “In the second story, I saw a gray silhouette and a flickering light. I thought it was a flashlight, but our tour guide had mentioned she had seen the same silhouette and flickering light before.”

Halfway through our tour, we walked to the prison’s hospital, which was noted to have the most paranormal activity. Our guide recalled a story of another guide who had reported a “Tall Man” that walked the halls of the hospital.

Photos courtesy of Sarah Cahill

The tourguide had been walking inside of the rooms when doors began to shut, and a tall figure chased him to the front door.

While they’re still unsure of who this “Tall Man” was, sightings of him have been consistently reported from all the tour guides.

There were numerous famous criminals who passed through or stayed at the prison. John Wayne Gacy made an appearance for a short while including Richard Speck, Leopold and Loeb, and Baby Face Nelson. Not only was it unsettling to know that I was walking the same grounds as these men, but also knowing that many were executed in the electric chair that was housed on the prison grounds. While the prison doesn’t have accurate recordings of how many men were killed by the chair, our guide had showed us the replica and explained that all executions happened at night with a viewing room for the prisoner’s family to watch.

Of course, there are many more intricate details of the prison that you can learn about by taking a tour for yourself. Make sure to check out their website, www. jolietprison.org, for tour information about one of the most notable and historic pieces of Joliet.