'Gary' is the largest city in
Lake County,
Indiana,
USA. The city is located in the southeastern portion of
Chicago metropolitan area and is approximately 25 miles from downtown
Chicago. As of the 2000
census, the city had a total population of 102,746 and is the largest Indiana city that is not a county seat. It borders
Lake Michigan and is known for its large
steel mills.
History
The city was founded in 1906 by the
United States Steel Corporation as the home for its new plant. The city was named after the chairman of U.S. Steel,
Elbert H. Gary.
Among U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Gary has the highest percentage of
African-American residents (as of the 2000 U.S. census). Gary had one of the nation's first African-American mayors,
Richard G. Hatcher, and hosted the ground-breaking 1972 National Black Political Convention. At the same time, Gary suffered from many affluent and middle-class residents leaving Gary and relocating to the surrounding towns and cities.
Gary's fortunes have risen and fallen with those of the steel industry. In the 1960s, like many other American urban centers, Gary entered a downward spiral of decline. Gary's decline was brought on by the growing competitiveness in the steel industry, which had caused
US Steel to lay off workers from the Gary area. This had the effect of increasing crime, including use and trade in illegal drugs.
US Steel continues to be a major steel producer, but with only a fraction of its former level of employment. While Gary has failed to re-establish its manufacturing base since its population peak, two casinos opened along the Gary lakeshore in the 1990s. Today, Gary faces numerous difficulties, including unemployment, major economic problems, and a high rate of
crime, though the city has made some progress in addressing these issues since the 1990s.
Meredith Willson's 1957 Broadway musical ''
The Music Man'' featured the song, "Gary, Indiana," describing the alleged ''alma mater'' of lead character Professor Harold Hill ("Gary Music Conservatory, Class of '05!"). The joke in Hill's claim, of course, is that the city of Gary wasn't founded until '06. Wilson's musical, set in 1912, was later made into two movies.
Recent events
Three-term Democratic mayor
Scott King resigned from office in March, 2006, citing a desire to return to private law practice, and the financial rewards involved therein.
[1] Then-deputy mayor and former Calumet Township Trustee Dozier T. Allen Jr. became acting mayor, pending a formal election by local Democratic party officials. On April 4, 2006, local officials chose former Lake County Commissioner and King rival Rudolph Clay to fill the remaining 21 months of King's term.
After celebrating its 100th year in 2006, the city of Gary finally shows evidence of rebound from years of economic depression. Many buildings that have been left vacant for years are now finally slated for demolition and development.
[2] Many new homes have been built through the
HOPE VI grant from
HUD.
[3]
The
Gary/Chicago International Airport has recently secured nearly 100 million
dollars in grants and private donations. The
FAA approved GYY's master plan which includes the expansion of runways, land acquistition for a larger terminal, an integrated transportation center, and provision for a third runway. The first part of the plan requires that the
EJ&E line, which runs at the end of the runway, be relocated.
After many years at the top of the list, Gary was rated the tenth most dangerous city in the United States according to
Morgan Quitno's 2006 analysis of crime rates. While hardly enviable, this is indicative of the progress Gary has made in reducing crime since the 1990s.
[4] The city recorded 51 homicides in 2006, a 13.5% decrease from the previous year.
[5]
Dallas based
HomeVestors of America released their "Top 10 Markets for Real Estate Investing" list on
9 December,
2006. Gary earned the number one position on this list, which represents activity of investors who purchase homes below market and then sell.
[6]
Geography
Gary is located at (41.580786, -87.345449). According to the
United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 148.3
km² (57.2
mi²). 130.1 km² (50.2 mi²) of it is land and 18.2 km² (7.0 mi²) of it (12.25%) is water. The city sits on the southern end of the former lake bed of the prehistoric
Lake Chicago, and the current
Lake Michigan. Most of the city's soil nearly one foot below the surface is pure sand. The
sand beneath Gary, and on its beaches, is of such high quality that in years past it was mined for the manufacture of
glass.
Gary is more or less "T" shaped, with its northern border on
Lake Michigan, one of the United States's five "
Great Lakes." At the Northwesternmost section Gary borders
Hammond and
East Chicago. As one moves from West to East across the top of Gary's aforementioned "T" shape, the city changes from being decidedly urban to being a bit more suburban, culminating in what is called the city's "Miller" or "Miller Beach" section, at its northeastermost point, which borders
Lake Station and
Portage. The city's southernmost section borders
Hobart and
Merrillville.
Climate
Gary, like Chicago, has a variable climate. In July and August, the warmest months, high temperatures average 84 °F (29 °C) and peak just above 100 °F (38 °C) and low temperatures average 63 °F (17 °C). In January and February, the coldest months, high temperatures average around 29 °F (-2 °C) and low temperatures average 13 °F (-11 °C), with at least a few days of temperatures dipping below 0 °F (-18 °C). The weather of Gary is greatly regulated by its proximity to
Lake Michigan, as it sits at the lake's southernmost point. Weather varies yearly. Tornadoes strike annually, though the city has generally avoided major damage. In summer months Gary is quite
humid. The city's yearly precipitation averages about 40 inches. Summer is the rainiest season, with rainfall of short duration and very loud, drawn-out
thunderstorms. Winters vary but are predominantly snowy with regular blizzards. Snowfall in Gary can average 24 to 36 inches per winter, but sometimes large
blizzards hit because of "
lake effect snow," a phenomenon wherein large amounts of water evaporated from the lake deposits onto the shoreline areas inordinate amounts of snow.
Culture
Demographics
'City of Gary
Population by year [1]' |
| 1900 | NA |
| 1910 | 15,802 |
| 1920 | 55,378 |
| 1930 | 100,666 |
| 1940 | 111,719 |
| 1950 | 133,911 |
| 1960 | 178,320 |
| 1970 | 175,415 |
| 1980 | 144,953 |
| 1990 | 116,646 |
| 2000 | 102,746 |
| 2005 | 99,246 |
As of the
census of 2000, there were 102,746 people, 38,244 households, and 25,623 families residing in the city. The
population density was 789.8/km² (2,045.5/mi²). There were 43,630 housing units at an average density of 335.4/km² (868.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.03%
African American, 11.92%
White, 0.21%
Native American, 0.14%
Asian, 0.02%
Pacific Islander, 1.97% from
other races, and 1.71% from two or more races. 4.93% of the population were
Hispanic or
Latino of any race.
There were 38,244 households out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.2% were
married couples living together, 30.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.28.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.9% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 84.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,195, and the median income for a family was $32,205. Males had a median income of $34,992 versus $24,432 for females. The
per capita income for the city was $14,383. About 22.2% of families and 25.8% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 37.9% of those under age 18 and 14.1% of those age 65 or over.
Neighborhoods
'Aetna' is located on Gary's far east side along the Dunes Highway. Aetna was developed in the 1930's and is home to an impressive collection of art deco architecture. The eastern edge of Aetna is marked by wilderness and borders Miller Beach and the Indiana Dunes.
'Ambridge' is located on Gary's near west side along 5th Avenue. Ambridge was developed for workers at the near by steel plant in the 1910's and 1920's, and is named after the American Bridge Works, which was a subsidiary of U.S. Steel. The neighborhood is home to a huge stock of prairie style and art deco homes. The Gary Masonic Temple is located in the neighborhood along with the Ambassador Apartment building. Located just south of Interstate 90, the neighborhood can be seen while passing Buchanan Street.
'Black Oak' is located on the far southwest side of Gary, in the vicinity of the Burr Street exit to the
Borman Expressway. It was annexed in the 1970s, and prior to that was associated with
Hammond, and the area has Hammond telephone numbers.
'Brunswick' is located on Gary's far west side. The neighborhood is located just south of Interstate 90 and can be seen from the expressway. The Brunswick area includes the old Tri-City Plaza on west 5th Avenue (U.S. 20). The area is just south of the Gary-Chicago Airport.
'Downtown' is the heart of Gary and is home to a number of large buildings. Interstate 90 divides downtown Gary from the United States Steel Plant. Downtown Gary was developed in the 1920's and houses several pieces of impressive architecture, including several structures designed by
Frank Lloyd Wright. A new office building was constructed in the downtown in recent years, as was a new baseball stadium for a local team, the
Gary SouthShore RailCats.
'Glen Park' is located on Gary's south side. Glen Park is divided from the remainder of the city by the Borman Expressway. The northern portion of Glen Park is home to Gary's Gleason Park Golf Course and Indiana University Northwest. The western portion of Glen Park is home to the Village Shopping Center.
'Ivanhoe' is a housing project located on Gary's west side along 11th Avenue west of Chase Street.
'Marshalltown' is a subdivision located on Gary's east side along Central Avenue and 21st Avenue to the east of Martin Luther King Drive.
'Midtown' is located to the south of Downtown Gary, along Broadway.
'Miller Beach' is located on Gary's far east side. The neighborhood is located north of Miller which was developed in the 1930's around the old train station. Today, Miller Beach is one of the most affluent neighborhoods in the city. The neighborhood borders Lake Michigan and the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.
'Tarrytown' is a subdivision located on Gary's west side between Whitcomb Street and Clark Road.
'Tolleston' is one of Gary's oldest neighborhoods, predating much of the rest of the city. It was named for an old settlement along the railroads of the area. The area is to the west of downtown Gary and south of the Ambridge area.
'Westbrook' is an apartment complex on the west side of the city between Taft and Chase streets, and the neighborhood surrounding that complex. It lies just to the north of Tolleston.
Education
The city of Gary has had a checkered history when it comes to education. As a result, test scores have fallen well below the national average of late. In response, multiple
charter schools have been founded throughout the city as an alternative to the public schools. Since that time student performance has improved and the Gary Community School Corporation has built new elementary schools.
Primary/Secondary Education
There are three school districts serving the city as well as multiple charter schools located within the city.
Most public schools in Gary are administered by the
Gary Community School Corporation. The other public schools within the city are administered by
Lake Ridge Schools Corporation. Some Gary residents in the outskirts attend schools administered by the
River Forest Community School Corporation.
Charters:
★
Gary Charter Schools
Continuing Education
Gary is home to two regional state college campuses:
★
Indiana University Northwest
★
Ivy Tech Community College Northwest
Media
★ 'Newspapers' -- Gary is served by two major newspapers based outside the city, as well as a Gary-based, largely African-American-Interest paper. These papers provide regional topics, and cover events in Gary.
★
★
Post-Tribune, which was originally located in Gary. Offices and facilities for the ''Post-Tribune'' are based in
Merrillville.
★
★
The Times, previously known as the ''Hammond Times''. Offices and facilities for ''The Times'' are in nearby
Munster.
★
★ The
Gary Crusader, based in Gary and largely focused on black- or African-American interests and readership.
★ 'Broadcast' -- Gary is served by five local broadcasters plus gov access and numerous Chicago area
radio and stations, and by other nearby stations in Illinois and Indiana.
★
★
W18AT (Channel 18) a
repeater of
WHME of
South Bend, a
LeSEA affiliate.
★
★
WPWR (Channel 50) is the Chicago
My Network TV affiliate, but is licensed to Gary. Studios and transmitters are co-located with
WFLD's in Chicago, and like WFLD, WPWR is owned by
Fox Television Stations.
★
★
WYIN (Channel 56) is a
PBS affiliate licensed to Gary. Their studios are in Merrillville.
★
★
WGVE (
FM 88.7) is owned by the
Gary Community School Corporation, and is used primarily as a teaching facility. Programming is maintained by students in the broadcast program at the Gary Career Center. WGVE also carries limited
NPR programming.
★
★
WLTH (
AM 1370) carries syndicated talk programming, and is owned by Pluria Marshall Jr.
★
★
WWCA (
AM 1270) is presently a
Relevant Radio owned-and-operated radio station, carrying programming from the Catholic-oriented Relevant Radio network.
Transportation
★ 'NICTD' (
Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District) operates the '
South Shore Line', a commuter rail system (one of the United States' last original operating
interurban railway systems), running between
Chicago and
South Bend.
★ 'GPTC' (
Gary Public Transportation Corporation) a commuter bus system that offers service to numerous stops throughout the city and neighboring
suburbs. GPTC also has express service to locations outside of the city including connections to Chicago transit. Front door pickup is available for disabled citizens at no extra cost.
★ 'GYY' (
Gary/Chicago International Airport) is operating as the "third airport" for the Chicago area. It is currently undergoing much federally funded expansion, and the administration is courting airlines aggressively.
Boeing already bases their corporate fleets here. The
National Guard is intending to base their Chicago area air operation there as well, which would add much needed security to the Airport, taking away some of the stigma of an airport in Gary. Flights are now being offered, seasonally, by
SkyValue (a low cost, public charter airline).
Sports
The following
sports teams are based in Gary:
Baseball
U.S. Steel Yard, Gary
★ The
Gary SouthShore RailCats, are a
Northern League,
professional baseball team. The team plays in Gary's
U.S. Steel Yard baseball stadium. The RailCats were the 2005 Northern League champions.
Basketball
The
Gary Steelheads, are a
professional basketball team that have played in the
IBL and the
CBA and now play in the
USBL (a
minor league basketball league). The team plays in Gary's
Genesis Convention Center.
Notable people from Gary, Indiana
Entertainment
★
Derek Bailey -
singer and
songwriter
★
Avery Brooks - (born in
Evansville) actor, director, best known for ''
★
Mike Epps - actor, comedian
★
Morgan Freeman - (born in
Memphis)
Academy Award-winning
American actor and
film director
★
The Jackson Family - singers, musicians
★
★
Michael Jackson
★
★
Janet Jackson
★
★
Jermaine Jackson
★
★
LaToya Jackson
★
★
Tito Jackson
★
★
Marlon Jackson
★
★
Randy Jackson
★
★
Jackie Jackson
★
★
Rebbie Jackson
★
★
The Jackson 5
★
Barney Liddell - big-band trombonist best known on ''
The Lawrence Welk Show''
★
Karl Malden - actor, best known as General
Omar Bradley in
''Patton''
★
William H. Marshall - film actor, director, opera singer
★
Kym Mazelle - soul singer
★
James McCracken - opera singer
★
Karen McDougal - actress, model, 1998 ''
Playboy''
Playmate of the year
★
Ralph McQuarrie -
Academy Award-winning conceptual designer, best known for his work on the ''
Star Wars'' films
★
Jesse Powell - soul singer
★
Ronnie Rancifer - original
keyboardist for
The Jackson 5
★
Jimmy Reed - a major player in the field of
electric blues
★
Robert Rhymes - famous
jazz saxophonist
★
The Spaniels - were an
American R&B doo-wop group, best known for the hit "
Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight".
★
Herschel Sparber -
actor,
voice over artist and
Broadway performer, best known for ''
★
Jevetta Steele -
African American gospel music singer
★
Ernest Lee Thomas -
actor famous for his role as Roger on the
sitcom ''
What's Happening!!'' and its sequel, ''
What's Happening Now!!''
★
Victor Varnado -
standup comedian and
actor
★
Deniece Williams -
singer and
songwriter
Sports
★
Dick Barnett -
NBA player
★
Brian Blair - aka "B. Brian Blair", professional wrestler
★
Wallace Bryant - former basketball player, coach
Jackson Wildcats
★
Vic Bubas - former
Duke University basketball head coach
★
Harry Flournoy - college basketball player
★
Joseph Gates - former baseball player, first base coach
Gary SouthShore RailCats
★ Winston Garland - Former National Basketball Association Player - 1987-1995
★
Tom Harmon -
Heisman trophy-winning football player
★
LaTroy Hawkins - baseball player, currently with the
Colorado Rockies
★
Tank Johnson - NFL,former Chicago Bears defensive tackle
★
Wallace Johnson - former baseball player, third base coach
Chicago White Sox
★
Alex Karras - football player, with
Detroit Lions
★
Ron Kittle - baseball player, with
Chicago White Sox
★
Bob Kuechenberg - former NFL, Miami Dolphins offensive lineman
★
Angel Manfredy - boxer
★
Lloyd McClendon - baseball coach; hitting coach for the
Detroit Tigers
★
Brandon Moore - football player for the
New York Jets
★
Dan Plesac - baseball player, pitcher
★
Glenn Robinson -
American basketball player in the
NBA, currently inactive
★
Hank Stram -
NFL coach best known for his tenure with the
Kansas City Chiefs
★
Sharmell Sullivan - better known as Queen Sharmell a
Diva and
manager for the
WWE
★
Alfie Turcotte - former NHL player
★
Fred Williamson - star defensive back in the
AFL
★
Tony Zale - "the man of steel" an American
boxer
Academic, science and technology
★
Frank Borman - Astronaut on
Gemini 7 and
Apollo 8, CEO of
Eastern Air Lines
★
Myron W. Krueger - computer graphics pioneer
★
Paul Samuelson - economist, recipient of the
John Bates Clark Medal (1947) and the
Nobel prize (1970)
★
Joseph Stiglitz - economist, recipient of the
John Bates Clark Medal (1979) and the
Nobel prize (2001)
Politics and law
★
Joseph E. Finerty - former mayor of Gary
★
Richard G. Hatcher - former mayor of Gary, first black mayor in Indiana
★
Michael King -
black conservative commentator, columnist and television producer
★
Pete Visclosky -
U.S. Representative from
Indiana's First
Congressional District
Other fields
★
William Albright - American composer and organist; born in Gary on October 20, 1944
★
Dan Barreiro - Radio Talk Show Host
★
Alan Roger Currie - Author, ''Mode One: Let The Women Know What You're REALLY Thinking''
★
Walter Hellman - born in Sweden and lived in Gary; checkers champion
★
Christopher Peterson - convicted serial killer; he has maintained his innocence
★
Todd Wagner -
billionaire entrepreneur who co-founded
Broadcast.com and now owns
2929 Entertainment
Notes
1. NWI Times
2. Gary, Indiana
3. Gary Hope VI
4. MSNBC
5. Post Tribune
6. Milwaukee
External links
★
City of Gary, Indiana Official Page
★
Gallery: Gary, Indiana - Ghost Town
★
The Miller Beach web site
★
MillerBeachDays
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