The Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park '" Joliet's Best Kept Secret

Over the years, and countless days of exploring my adopted hometown, I discovered a little piece of land just by the river, just south of Cass Street and north of Jefferson. Known to the locals as "THE park," the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park is one of the best places to see and experience the great things this town has to offer. It is listed in the phone directory as 201 W. Jefferson St. in Joliet, Ill., but it is much more than just a simple address.

There are plenty of outside concerts for just about everyone to enjoy. This past summer the park hosted everything from the Joliet High School Big Band to the Eddie Korsosa Boys from Illinois Polka Band. During the summer months in the early evening, people relax on the lawn to enjoy the music, and each other.

Of course, music isn't the only form of artistic expression you can find here. A non-descript brown brick building just south of the Cass Street entrance is home to the Joliet Drama Guild. This Joliet tradition has been going strong for more than three quarters of a century and is known for its engaging actors, inventive set design, and above all, engaging the audience in a fun and enthralling theater setting. The members tackle everything from comedies, like the dog-centered Sylvia to the thought provoking The Pillowman, a dark and moody play from the mind of Martin McDonagh, as well as classics like Hello Dolly! (www.jolietdramaguild.org, 2008-2010).

The park sits at the very edge of the historical section of Joliet, and there are a number of markers and finds that will help transport you back to the early days of the town of Joliet. A great example of this can be found in the form of a simple set of concrete stairs winding up the western side of the park. First created out of the limestone quarried from the nearby rock faces, the stairs mark the passage up to some of the first homes built in the Joliet area, right along what is now Bluff Street. A climb up those stairs, with a few stops at various resting points, will reveal some breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. It's an easy place to imagine what was there long ago.