Old Joliet Prison to be featured on Travel Channel's 'Ghost Adventures'

The Old Joliet Prison has become a popular site for filming, but recently it also became the site of a search for the paranormal.

“Ghost Adventures” is a show dedicated to visiting haunted locations both domestic and abroad. The team interviews local residents and then spends nights on location, investigating hauntings for themselves and searching for paranormal activity. The show is No. 1 on the Travel Channel, said Greg Peerbolte, executive director of Joliet Area Historical Museum.

Recently “Ghost Adventures” came to film at the Old Joliet Prison. The piece will be included in a four-part special, which should be airing around Halloween, Peerbolte said.

The team from the show told members of the Joliet Area Historical Museum they were interested in the prison’s reputation.

The filming was extensive for three days, taking 10 to 12 hours a day. The final investigation took all night, Peerbolte said. Along with filming, the “Ghost Adventures” crew took time to meet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk and his family.

“Things like this keep the place alive in the hearts and minds of people,” interim City Manager Steve Jones said.

All money received on behalf of this filming, along with revenue from other companies filming at the prison, goes back into the prison fund for renovations.

“The fact it got filmed is a win in and of itself,” Peerbolte said.

City officials are brainstorming ways to get the community involved in promoting the Joliet-centric episode.

There is an interest to create a tour geared around the show being filmed, said Bob Navarro, CEO of the Heritage Corridor Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“They (Ghost Adventures) were incredibly professional,” Peerbolte said. “It was a wonderful experience all around.”