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All the United States Illinois Wilmington Joliet Army Ammunition Plant
AO Edited

Joliet Army Ammunition Plant

This national park dedicated to the tallgrass prairie ecosystem still displays its military past.

Wilmington, Illinois

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AFish
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The outside of one of the bunkers.   AFish / Atlas Obscura User
Inside a bunker.   AFish / Atlas Obscura User
Inside a bunker.   AFish / Atlas Obscura User
Some of the bunkers have been converted into nice picnic spots   Hightopp Explorations / Atlas Obscura User
one of the bunkers   jkbuddy123 / Atlas Obscura User
The entrance to a TNT igloo at the West Virginia Ordnance Works near Pt. Pleasant, WV.   rbt45769 / Atlas Obscura User
The igloos near Pt. Pleasant, WV were dome shaped. They were still in use by Austin Powder in the 1970’s!   rbt45769 / Atlas Obscura User
A warning on the inside of the igloo door in West Virginia.   rbt45769 / Atlas Obscura User
Joliet Army Ammunition Plant   AFish / Atlas Obscura User
  jen487 / Atlas Obscura User
  jen487 / Atlas Obscura User
Hundreds of miles southeast of Joliet are the ruins of the West Virginia Ordnance Works. TNT was manufactured and stored on site in camouflaged concrete igloos. They are different from the ones in Joliet, but date from World War II as well.   rbt45769 / Atlas Obscura User
  jen487 / Atlas Obscura User
The bunkers closest to the bison range are somewhat maintained and easily accessible.   Hightopp Explorations / Atlas Obscura User
At least one bunker is handicap accessible tho getting there may prove difficult.   Hightopp Explorations / Atlas Obscura User
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About

About 19 miles southwest of Chicago near the city of Joliet resides a massive plot of restored prairie land. This is the former site of the Joliet Ammunition Plant, which produced TNT and artillery shells during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. 

By the late 1970s, operations at the plant ceased. In 1993, the land was declared to be excess and a redevelopment project was planned. A portion of this new development included 19,000 acres of land that was handed over to the U.S. Forest Service. That land became part of the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, the first national park of its kind, followed by Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Kansas.

Today, the land is public property for all to enjoy. Visitors can still find traces of the park's military history. The most notable of these is a field of concrete bunkers that were known as the "igloos" by factory workers. They were once used to store massive quantities of explosives and ordinance.

Although most of the bunkers are shuttered with heavy steel doors, others remain open for tourists. Inside, visitors will also find scattered graffiti that provide clues into the lives and jobs of the people who once worked inside. 

Related Tags

Bunkers Military History Parks Military

Know Before You Go

To see the bunkers, visitors should go to the Iron Bridge Trailhead and hike the Group 63 Trail, which is a 3.6-mile loop around all the bunkers. 

To reach the trailhead, go to The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie Welcome Center and then follow these instructions:

  • Turn right/north onto Route 53
  • Travel north on Route 53 for 2.4 miles.
  • Turn right/east onto the gravel road to the parking area and trailhead

Community Contributors

Added By

AFish

Edited By

rbt45769, AlexL, jen487, jkbuddy123...

  • rbt45769
  • AlexL
  • jen487
  • jkbuddy123
  • Hightopp Explorations

Published

April 21, 2020

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Sources
  • https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/midewin/recarea/?recid=82174
  • https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3833921.pdf
Joliet Army Ammunition Plant
30239 IL-53
Wilmington, Illinois, 60481
United States
41.365687, -88.109612
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Nearby Places

Decatur & State Line Railway Bridge Piers

Manteno, Illinois

miles away

Joliet Iron and Steel Works (Joliet Iron Works Park)

Joliet, Illinois

miles away

Joliet Correctional Center

Joliet, Illinois

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Wilmington

Wilmington

Illinois

Places 2

Nearby Places

Decatur & State Line Railway Bridge Piers

Manteno, Illinois

miles away

Joliet Iron and Steel Works (Joliet Iron Works Park)

Joliet, Illinois

miles away

Joliet Correctional Center

Joliet, Illinois

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Wilmington

Wilmington

Illinois

Places 2

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