Gary

Gary is a city in Lake County on the southern shore of Lake Michigan in northwestern Indiana, sitting about 25 miles southeast of Chicago. The city stretches along the waterfront with multiple public beaches and is interwoven with sprawling industrial complexes that define much of the cityscape.

The United States Steel Corporation founded the place in 1906 as a company town, naming it after Elbert Henry Gary, the corporation's chairman. Within a few decades the town grew rapidly through steel production and migration, but faced deep economic shifts starting in the 1960s.

The African American community has shaped daily life here for decades, and gospel music fills churches across neighborhoods every weekend. Visitors walk through areas where the Jackson family once lived and rehearsed, tracing the roots of Motown sound in modest residential blocks.

Public transit links different neighborhoods together, and the South Shore Line offers regular train service toward Chicago. Those exploring the waterfront or former industrial areas should pay attention to changing conditions and check accessible zones in advance.

The Gary Works steel complex ranks among the largest facilities of its kind in North America and shapes the Lake Michigan shoreline for several miles. Parts of the city served as backdrop for films seeking to portray decayed urban landscapes, giving it an odd fame.

Location: Lake County

Inception: 1906

Elevation above the sea: 180 m

Website: https://gary.gov

GPS coordinates: 41.58083,-87.34556

Latest update: December 14, 2025 22:04