There are no museums devoted to the history of industry and labor in the Chicago region, but landscapes of defunct industries still exist, and in some cases have been preserved and interpreted. In 1998 the Forest Preserve District of Will County opened an interpretive walking trail through the remains of structures at the Joliet Iron Works Historic Site along the path of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. The Joliet Works opened in 1869 and was a major employer until it closed in the 1930s. The photograph shows the foundations of the gas engine station, which consisted of three large Allis-Chalmers engines that generated electricity for the works. The Joliet Penitentiary, built in 1858, is in the distance.

Photographer: Douglas Knox
Source: Douglas Knox