Limestone Township, Peoria County, Illinois

Transcription

OLD FACTORY SITE IN JOLIET REBORN AS HISTORIC NATURE WALK. JOLIET REBORN AS HISTORIC NATURE WALK. >> THE JOLIET IS KNOWN AS CITY WALK. >> THE JOLIET IS KNOWN AS CITY OF IRON, RICH DEPOSITS OF >> THE JOLIET IS KNOWN AS CITY OF IRON, RICH DEPOSITS OF LIMESTONE WAS FOUND. OF IRON, RICH DEPOSITS OF LIMESTONE WAS FOUND. IT WAS USED IN ARCHITECTURE LIMESTONE WAS FOUND. IT WAS USED IN ARCHITECTURE BUILDINGS INCLUDING THE JOLIET IT WAS USED IN ARCHITECTURE BUILDINGS INCLUDING THE JOLIET PRISON. BUILDINGS INCLUDING THE JOLIET PRISON. THE CITY OF STEEL REMITS PRISON. THE CITY OF STEEL REMITS DIRECTLY TO THIS SITE. THE CITY OF STEEL REMITS DIRECTLY TO THIS SITE. DURING THE 1870'S, FIRST BLAST DIRECTLY TO THIS SITE. DURING THE 1870'S, FIRST BLAST TURNANCES WENT IN AT THE SITE DURING THE 1870'S, FIRST BLAST TURNANCES WENT IN AT THE SITE AND OPERATIONS BEGAN HERE. TURNANCES WENT IN AT THE SITE AND OPERATIONS BEGAN HERE. I AM STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF AND OPERATIONS BEGAN HERE. I AM STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF WHAT 110 YEARS AGO WAS THE I AM STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF WHAT 110 YEARS AGO WAS THE MIDDLE OF BLAST FURNACE NUMBER WHAT 110 YEARS AGO WAS THE MIDDLE OF BLAST FURNACE NUMBER ONE, GOING BACK TO THE 19TH MIDDLE OF BLAST FURNACE NUMBER ONE, GOING BACK TO THE 19TH CENTURY, 3,500 DEGREES ONE, GOING BACK TO THE 19TH CENTURY, 3,500 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE CENTURY, 3,500 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE TEMPERATURE. FAHRENHEIT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE TEMPERATURE. >> THOSE FURNACES ALSO PROVIDED TEMPERATURE. >> THOSE FURNACES ALSO PROVIDED JOBS WHICH ATTRACTED HUNDREDS OF >> THOSE FURNACES ALSO PROVIDED JOBS WHICH ATTRACTED HUNDREDS OF IMMIGRANTS TO THE GROWING CITY. JOBS WHICH ATTRACTED HUNDREDS OF IMMIGRANTS TO THE GROWING CITY. IT WAS HOT, GRUELING AND EVEN IMMIGRANTS TO THE GROWING CITY. IT WAS HOT, GRUELING AND EVEN DANGEROUS WORK. IT WAS HOT, GRUELING AND EVEN DANGEROUS WORK. RAW MATERIALS WERE DUMPED INTO DANGEROUS WORK. RAW MATERIALS WERE DUMPED INTO AN OPENING AT THE TOP, WHILE RAW MATERIALS WERE DUMPED INTO AN OPENING AT THE TOP, WHILE BELOW SUPER HEATED AIR WAS AN OPENING AT THE TOP, WHILE BELOW SUPER HEATED AIR WAS BLASTED INTO THE CHAMBER COOKING BELOW SUPER HEATED AIR WAS BLASTED INTO THE CHAMBER COOKING THE MIXTURE INTO IRON ORE. BLASTED INTO THE CHAMBER COOKING THE MIXTURE INTO IRON ORE. >> ONE OF THE JOBS OF THE MEN WHO WORKED HERE DURING THAT PERIOD WAS TO WAIT UNTIL THE IRON ORE WORKED HERE DURING THAT PERIOD WAS TO WAIT UNTIL THE IRON ORE COLLECTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WAS TO WAIT UNTIL THE IRON ORE COLLECTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BLAST FURNACE AND WITH HAMMERS, COLLECTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BLAST FURNACE AND WITH HAMMERS, THEY WOULD KNOCK CLAY PLUGS OUT BLAST FURNACE AND WITH HAMMERS, THEY WOULD KNOCK CLAY PLUGS OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE BLAST THEY WOULD KNOCK CLAY PLUGS OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE BLAST FURNACE. OF THE BOTTOM OF THE BLAST FURNACE. THE MOLTEN MATERIAL WOULD RUN FURNACE. THE MOLTEN MATERIAL WOULD RUN DOWNHILL, FAR BETTER SLOPED BACK THE MOLTEN MATERIAL WOULD RUN DOWNHILL, FAR BETTER SLOPED BACK AT THAT TIME INTO WAITING DOWNHILL, FAR BETTER SLOPED BACK AT THAT TIME INTO WAITING RAILROAD CARS. AT THAT TIME INTO WAITING RAILROAD CARS. >> WE ARE STANDING AT THE SITE RAILROAD CARS. >> WE ARE STANDING AT THE SITE OF WHAT WERE ORIGINALLY FOUR >> WE ARE STANDING AT THE SITE OF WHAT WERE ORIGINALLY FOUR LARGE FURNACES. OF WHAT WERE ORIGINALLY FOUR LARGE FURNACES. THERE WAS ONE HERE, TWO, THREE, LARGE FURNACES. THERE WAS ONE HERE, TWO, THREE, AND FOUR. THERE WAS ONE HERE, TWO, THREE, AND FOUR. THE PURPOSE OF THE FURNACES WAS AND FOUR. THE PURPOSE OF THE FURNACES WAS TO HEAT AIR TO ITS SUPER HOT ONE THE PURPOSE OF THE FURNACES WAS TO HEAT AIR TO ITS SUPER HOT ONE THOUSAND DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. TO HEAT AIR TO ITS SUPER HOT ONE THOUSAND DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. THAT HOT AIR THEN THROUGH A THOUSAND DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. THAT HOT AIR THEN THROUGH A SYSTEM OF TUNNELS WOULD BE SENT THAT HOT AIR THEN THROUGH A SYSTEM OF TUNNELS WOULD BE SENT DOWN TO THE BLAST FURNACES WE SYSTEM OF TUNNELS WOULD BE SENT DOWN TO THE BLAST FURNACES WE JUST CAME FROM. TODAY THOSE BRICK LINED TUNNELS ARE SLOWLY BEING EXPOSED AS NATURE GRADUALLY RECLAIMS THE ARE SLOWLY BEING EXPOSED AS NATURE GRADUALLY RECLAIMS THE LAND THAT WAS ONCE HERS. NATURE GRADUALLY RECLAIMS THE LAND THAT WAS ONCE HERS. >> IN THE 1930'S IT WAS ALL BUT FORGOTTEN. THIS WAS HEAVILY DISTURBED AREA FORGOTTEN. THIS WAS HEAVILY DISTURBED AREA BACK IN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY THIS WAS HEAVILY DISTURBED AREA BACK IN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY AND EARLY 20TH CENTURY. BACK IN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY AND EARLY 20TH CENTURY. BACK THEN BEING OBVIOUSLY NO AND EARLY 20TH CENTURY. BACK THEN BEING OBVIOUSLY NO ENVIRONMENTAL RULES VIRTUALLY AT BACK THEN BEING OBVIOUSLY NO ENVIRONMENTAL RULES VIRTUALLY AT ALL. ENVIRONMENTAL RULES VIRTUALLY AT ALL. THE FACT THAT TODAY NATURE HAS ALL. THE FACT THAT TODAY NATURE HAS RETURNED IN THE SENSE WE SEE IT, THE FACT THAT TODAY NATURE HAS RETURNED IN THE SENSE WE SEE IT, IT GIVES YOU SOME SENSE OF RETURNED IN THE SENSE WE SEE IT, IT GIVES YOU SOME SENSE OF TENACITY OF NATURE. WE DO TREAT IT GIVES YOU SOME SENSE OF TENACITY OF NATURE. WE DO TREAT IT AS A PRESERVE. TENACITY OF NATURE. WE DO TREAT IT AS A PRESERVE. WE LET NATURE RUN ITS COURSE. IT AS A PRESERVE. WE LET NATURE RUN ITS COURSE. IT IS OPEN ON A DAILY BASIS WE LET NATURE RUN ITS COURSE. IT IS OPEN ON A DAILY BASIS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR SELF IT IS OPEN ON A DAILY BASIS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR SELF GUIDE TOUR. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR SELF GUIDE TOUR. WE WILL HAVE INFORMATION CENTERS GUIDE TOUR. WE WILL HAVE INFORMATION CENTERS FOR PEOPLE WHO VISIT US. WE WILL HAVE INFORMATION CENTERS FOR PEOPLE WHO VISIT US. THE ENTIRE PATHWAY IS MILE IN FOR PEOPLE WHO VISIT US. THE ENTIRE PATHWAY IS MILE IN LENGTH GIVES YOU AN IDEA HOW THE ENTIRE PATHWAY IS MILE IN LENGTH GIVES YOU AN IDEA HOW BIRTH ACTUAL FACTORY WAS AT ONE LENGTH GIVES YOU AN IDEA HOW BIRTH ACTUAL FACTORY WAS AT ONE TIME. BIRTH ACTUAL FACTORY WAS AT ONE TIME. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET TIME. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET HERE, WE HAVE A TRAIL SYSTEM ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET HERE, WE HAVE A TRAIL SYSTEM WHICH LEADS TO DOWNTOWN JOLIET, HERE, WE HAVE A TRAIL SYSTEM WHICH LEADS TO DOWNTOWN JOLIET, AND THEN LINKS UP WITH ANOTHER WHICH LEADS TO DOWNTOWN JOLIET, AND THEN LINKS UP WITH ANOTHER TRAIL THAT RUNS TO LOCKPORT. AND THEN LINKS UP WITH ANOTHER TRAIL THAT RUNS TO LOCKPORT. WE ARE STANDING AT BLAST FURNACE TRAIL THAT RUNS TO LOCKPORT. WE ARE STANDING AT BLAST FURNACE NUMBER THREE INSTALLED WE ARE STANDING AT BLAST FURNACE NUMBER THREE INSTALLED CONSIDERABLY LATER. NUMBER THREE INSTALLED CONSIDERABLY LATER. THIS ONE WENT IN, IN THE TERL CONSIDERABLY LATER. THIS ONE WENT IN, IN THE TERL EARL I 19 20'S. THIS ONE WENT IN, IN THE TERL EARL I 19 20'S. TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF EARL I 19 20'S. TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF DIMENSIONS, YOU HAVE TO IMAGINE TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF DIMENSIONS, YOU HAVE TO IMAGINE THE BLAST FURNACE WOULD HAVE DIMENSIONS, YOU HAVE TO IMAGINE THE BLAST FURNACE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THIS CASE BIGGER THAN THE BLAST FURNACE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THIS CASE BIGGER THAN THE ORIGINALLY 90 FEET TALL, BEEN IN THIS CASE BIGGER THAN THE ORIGINALLY 90 FEET TALL, NINE STORIES UP. THE ORIGINALLY 90 FEET TALL, NINE STORIES UP. AT THE TIME, DURING THE NINE STORIES UP. AT THE TIME, DURING THE OPERATION OF THE BLAST FURNACES, AT THE TIME, DURING THE OPERATION OF THE BLAST FURNACES, IMPURITIES WOULD ACCUMULATE AT OPERATION OF THE BLAST FURNACES, IMPURITIES WOULD ACCUMULATE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BLAST FURNACE IMPURITIES WOULD ACCUMULATE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BLAST FURNACE CALLED SALIMANDERS, THEY HAD TO THE BOTTOM OF THE BLAST FURNACE CALLED SALIMANDERS, THEY HAD TO BE REMOVED, AND CHISELING THE CALLED SALIMANDERS, THEY HAD TO BE REMOVED, AND CHISELING THE ROCK HARD MATERIAL AWAY. BE REMOVED, AND CHISELING THE ROCK HARD MATERIAL AWAY. APPARENTLY IN THE CASE OF BLAST ROCK HARD MATERIAL AWAY. APPARENTLY IN THE CASE OF BLAST FURNACE NUMBER FOUR, THE OWNERS APPARENTLY IN THE CASE OF BLAST FURNACE NUMBER FOUR, THE OWNERS OF THE FACILITY REALIZED THEY FURNACE NUMBER FOUR, THE OWNERS OF THE FACILITY REALIZED THEY WOULD BE CLOSING THE FACILITY OF THE FACILITY REALIZED THEY WOULD BE CLOSING THE FACILITY DOWN AND RATHER THAN SHUT DOWN WOULD BE CLOSING THE FACILITY DOWN AND RATHER THAN SHUT DOWN BLAST FURNACE NUMBER FOUR AND DOWN AND RATHER THAN SHUT DOWN BLAST FURNACE NUMBER FOUR AND CLEAN THE SALAMANDERS AWAY, THEY BLAST FURNACE NUMBER FOUR AND CLEAN THE SALAMANDERS AWAY, THEY LET IT ACCUMULATE AT THE BOTTOM CLEAN THE SALAMANDERS AWAY, THEY LET IT ACCUMULATE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE FURNACE. LET IT ACCUMULATE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE FURNACE. WE ARE THE BENIFICIARIES RY OF THE FURNACE. WE ARE THE BENIFICIARIES RY BECAUSE WE CAN SEE THE WE ARE THE BENIFICIARIES RY BECAUSE WE CAN SEE THE IMPURITIES AS THEY ACTUALLY BECAUSE WE CAN SEE THE IMPURITIES AS THEY ACTUALLY EXISTED IN THE BLAST FURNACE. IMPURITIES AS THEY ACTUALLY EXISTED IN THE BLAST FURNACE. TODAY IN AN AREA ONCE FILLED EXISTED IN THE BLAST FURNACE. TODAY IN AN AREA ONCE FILLED WITH CHOKING HEAT AND NOISE, TODAY IN AN AREA ONCE FILLED WITH CHOKING HEAT AND NOISE, QUIET NES HAS RETURNED. WITH CHOKING HEAT AND NOISE, QUIET NES HAS RETURNED. IT IS A SITE THAT ONCE MEANT SO QUIET NES HAS RETURNED. IT IS A SITE THAT ONCE MEANT SO MUCH TO A GROWING CITY AND ONE IT IS A SITE THAT ONCE MEANT SO MUCH TO A GROWING CITY AND ONE THAT WAS ALMOST FORGOTTEN. MUCH TO A GROWING CITY AND ONE THAT WAS ALMOST FORGOTTEN. >> WE FEEL HONORED TO BE ABLE TO THAT WAS ALMOST FORGOTTEN. >> WE FEEL HONORED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE PRESERVED THIS SITE THAT >> WE FEEL HONORED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE PRESERVED THIS SITE THAT MEANT SO MANY TO JOLIET'S PAST. HAVE PRESERVED THIS SITE THAT MEANT SO MANY TO JOLIET'S PAST. FOR ME, THE FACT THAT WE COULD MEANT SO MANY TO JOLIET'S PAST. FOR ME, THE FACT THAT WE COULD DEVELOP THIS SITE, MAINTAIN IT FOR ME, THE FACT THAT WE COULD DEVELOP THIS SITE, MAINTAIN IT NOT ONLY FOR TODAY, BUT FOR DEVELOP THIS SITE, MAINTAIN IT NOT ONLY FOR TODAY, BUT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS, THAT WILL NOT ONLY FOR TODAY, BUT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS, THAT WILL BECOME MORE SEPARATED IN TIME FUTURE GENERATIONS, THAT WILL BECOME MORE SEPARATED IN TIME FROM JOLIET'S BEGINNING, THIS BECOME MORE SEPARATED IN TIME FROM JOLIET'S BEGINNING, THIS WILL BE ESSENTIAL TO HELP THEM FROM JOLIET'S BEGINNING, THIS WILL BE ESSENTIAL TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHERE THE CITY WILL BE ESSENTIAL TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHERE THE CITY ORIGINALLY CAME FROM. TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE JOLIET IRONWORKS HISTORIC SITE CALL WILL COUNTY FOREST PRESERVE JOLIET IRONWORKS HISTORIC SITE CALL WILL COUNTY FOREST PRESERVE (815)727-8700.