Joliet, a city and the county seat of Will co., Illinois, situated on both sides of the Des Plaines river, 35 m. S. W. of Chicago; pop. in 1850, 2,659; in 1860, 7,102; in 1870, 7,263. The Illinois and Michigan canal passes through the city, and it is the point of junction of the Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific, the Chicago and Alton, and the Michigan Central railroads. It is surrounded by a rich agricultural country, and is the principal shipping point for the produce of this region which is exported by canal. The canal and river furnish water power, and there are several flour mills, manufactories of agricultural implements, etc. There are inexhaustible quarries of fine blue and white building stone near the city. Juliet is well built and lighted with gas. The city hall is a large and imposing edifice. The state penitentiary, one of the finest buildings of the kind in the country, cost more than $1,000,000. There are two national banks, a semi-weekly and two weekly newspapers, and 10 public schools, including a high school.