The Haunted Old Joliet Prison

The Old Joliet Prison, formerly known as the Illinois State Penitentiary, is an imposing compound of structures located in Joliet, Illinois. The old prison, which is located about 45 miles south of Chicago, opened back in 1858, immediately housing some of the worst criminals around. During the Civil War, from 1861-1865, the prison housed not only everyday criminals but also prisoners of the war.

By the 1870s, the prison was already facing overcrowded situations, at one point housing well over 1,200 convicts. Additional buildings were built to handle the high population of prisoners. To make matters worse, the prison was outdated from modern innovation, with no indoor plumbing, running water, or even proper ventilation. This led to angry inmates and harder jobs for prison staff. By the 1920s, a new prison was commissioned, however, due to large populations, the Old Joliet Prison would remain in operation until 2002.

Notoriously Famous Inmates

During the 1920s, 1924 to be exact, the murderous duo Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb were sentenced to life in prison which they were to serve at the Joliet Prison. They would remain there until the 1930s when the new Statesville Penitentiary was opened.

In the 1930s, a famous outlaw was sentenced to time in the prison. Lester Joseph Gillis, more commonly known as Baby Face Nelson, left the prison in 1933, but soon found himself in more trouble as he joined John Dillinger on his exploits, though he was said to be far too violent for Dillinger's gang. Nelson was killed the following year during a battle with FBI agents.

In the 1980s, the old prison got a new inmate, one with the darkest past yet. That new inmate was named John Wayne Gacy. Gacy was a serial killer known for his unspeakable crimes and many murders. He was held in the Old Joliet Prison until eventually he was transferred to the nearby Statesville Prison for his execution in 1994.

While the well-known inmates are part of the reason people know of Joliet Prison, it became center stage in 1980 when the movie The Blues Brothers debuted. Part of the movie was actually filmed at the old penitentiary and has made it a popular destination for fans to this day.

The Hauntings

By the time the prison closed its doors in 2002, it had been in operation for over 144 years and had seen the worst of the worst in terms of inmates, leaving it with a dark legacy. The buildings quickly fell into ruins as they sat abandoned, with few who knew what to do with the former penitentiary. Vandalism, break-ins, and more plagued the buildings for years until a few years back when a nonprofit took over attempting to make it a historical museum of its own.

Not long after workers came in to restore the buildings, did they notice unusual activity all around the compound. There were ghostly voices often heard: sometimes the voices screamed, sometimes just casual talking. Doors opened and closed on their own. The sounds of cell doors rattling are another common occurrence.

The most unnerving reports of paranormal activity center around apparitions. There have been several different apparitions that have appeared to the unsuspecting living. Some of the apparitions are inmates, while others appear to be prison guards. They have been seen wandering the cell blocks, prison grounds, and even in the cafeteria area.

Other reports of paranormal activity include the feelings of being touched by an unseen figure, bright orbs, cold spots, and even feelings of extreme dread.

As you can tell from the video above, I encountered a bit of paranormal activity when I visited last week. I was not there to investigate, in fact I was just doing a video walkthrough, but I picked up three different voices.

The most active spot for me was the solitary confinement area where many of the death row inmates were kept. The first voice was too hard to understand, but the second one clearly told me to "Get outta here."

The last voice was captured in the East Cell Block area. As I was doing a video tour of the downstairs location, I turned the corner and picked up a voice saying "locked." This was interesting because it turns out that the door that was supposed to be unlocked, was not and I had to go all the way back, but I didn't know that at the time.

If you like ghosts, history, and a bit of true crime, The Old Joliet Prison is the stop for you. If you've ever had the chance to go, I'd love to hear your experiences in the comments below!