Joliet was founded in 1831, deemed an ideal place for a settlement to reap the local natural resources.

Most importantly, large beds of limestone provided a strong economic incentive to develop the area.

Several important structures were constructed with Joliet limestone, including the Old State Capitol and Chicago Water Tower.

The east side failed to recover from the depression; remaining houses were converted into multiple-family homes or abandoned.

Joliet selected fifty-one sites and structures of particular value to exemplify the historical merit of the district.