Joliet, Illinois is a city about 35 miles southwest of Chicago; it was named for Louis Joliet, French explorer and fur trapper, who accompanied the first Jesuit missionaries to the Mississippi valley.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joliet,_Illinois

Sometime around 1910, a group of well-dressed citizens were photographed in front of a rustic structure adorned with a US flag.

An inscription on the reverse notes, “The property of Mrs. Hattie Williamson, Joliet, Ill”.

Sometimes, these “property of” inscriptions describe photographs that were shared with the local newspaper office for printing in an edition of the local paper.

We cannot be sure that the event commemorated by the photo took place in Joliet, or that Mrs. Williamson was in the company.

If Hattie Williamson convened the group, I like to think she is the older woman with a proprietary look who surveys the scene from her perch at the left end of the middle row.

Interestingly, the older citizens have expressions quite grim, while many of the young adults have sly smiles.

The pretty young woman in the back row flashes a gleaming smile, although the young man at the left end of the back row looks as though he would rather be far away from this celebration.

One hopes that the gathering created pleasant memories for each one who participated.