Report - Blues Brothers Prison (Joliet Correctional Center) - USA

[naatje from holland]

Ever seen the Blues Brothers movie? If you do you might remember the opening scene where Elwood picks up his brother Jake from a prison in a police car. This is that prison, and here is the opening scene.

The prison was opened in 1858 and built with the help of convict labour. It finally closed its doors in 2002 because of budget costs, and the poor state of the buildings. More info on wikipedia.

We were in Chicago during a long road trip trough the land of the free when we found out that this bit of film nostalgia was not too far off our route to Detroit and had been abandoned for many years. Finding the prison was no problem at all but to actually get in was the hard part. The walls and metal that have kept people inside for the best part of 150 years kept us out for a good while.

Until eventually, succes

While walking in the yard we see dog's footprints. A lot of them, but thankfully no sign of the animal itself

Then finally the prison started to look like a prison

Many of the non cellblock buildings were still recognisable in the sense of what their purpose used to be such as the kitchen, laundry room or visiting rooms, but were now mostly filled with fourteen years worth of vandalism and decay.

Have you seen the light?

 

[The Lone Shadow]

Bloody hell! That is nice. Did you see the section where Jake collects collects his belongings? Was it recognisable?

 

[stellaluna]

Yes! Yes! Jesus H tap-dancing Christ, I have seen the light!

It's a good one anyway but the connection to the Blues Brothers is the icing on the cake for me! Thanks for sharing, liking the cell block pictures.

 

[Oxygen Thief]

That's amazing mate, very nicely done. Did you see the actual gate Jake leaves the prison from?

 

[Camera Shy]

Big Yes, looks ace, well done.

 

[Lenston]

That is nice

 

[mockney reject]

on a mission from god ?

 

[Bugsuperstar]

Nice! This is also where Michael Schofield did all his dramatic whispering in the first season of Prison Break.

Looks amazing.

 

[Lord Oort]

Fantastic!

They should of filmed the triple rock scene there as well, that chapel has ambience in spades.

 

[the126]

Awesome

 

[naatje from holland]

Bloody hell! That is nice. Did you see the section where Jake collects collects his belongings? Was it recognisable?

We did look for it! And we thought we found it but after seeing the scene again it wasn't the place..

The gate Jake leaves the prison from is the one in the second picture, here is a better one of the gate.

I forgot about this one, the administration building was falling to pieces. We watched our step after seeing that

And also, the next day we were in Detroit and managed to visit what once was one of Detroits prominent theatres that has now been turned into a parking lot. Sadly this is the only picture I have of that place.

 

[The Lone Shadow]

Wow! That looks very similar though... I just keep imagining John Belushi leaning across that line to sign for his things. If only he were here to see the state of this place now.

 

[host]

Stunning work, this is one of of the places I've seen in a while, I would love to visit here, and the film is epic too…I'm sure the parking lot cinema is in the film 8 mile. Derelict buildings from movies, what else have you got to show us ?

 

[The Lone Ranger]

Great to see, especially with the connection to the Blues Brothers, it one of my all time favourite films

 

[naatje from holland]

Stunning work, this is one of of the places I've seen in a while, I would love to visit here, and the film is epic too…I'm sure the parking lot cinema is in the film 8 mile. Derelict buildings from movies, what else have you got to show us ?

Thanks, don't know about eight mile but the name of it is 'the Michigan building'.
Got some pictures from an abandoned goldmine in Death Valley. Will try to make a report on that too