🏙️

Lecture on Gary, Indiana

Jul 12, 2024

Lecture on Gary, Indiana

Introduction

  • Location: Gary is a suburb of Chicago, on Lake Michigan
  • Reputation: Often cited negatively in comparisons

History of Gary

  • Founded by: U.S. Steel Corporation, early 1900s
  • Named after: Albert Henry Gary, who ran the steel mill
  • Rise and fall associated with the steel industry
  • Population peaked at around 180,000; currently around 69,000
  • Major decline after the steel industry collapsed

Current Demographics and Statistics

  • Population decrease: 61% of the population is gone
  • Approx. 13,000 abandoned structures
  • Poverty: 32% overall, 54% for children under 17
  • Median age: 37 years
  • Gender: 54% female, 46% male; 12% of females are widows
  • Marital status: Only 30% of the population is married
  • Racial breakdown: 78% Black, 9% Hispanic, 10% White, 3% other
  • Income levels:
    • Per capita income: $19,500 vs. U.S. average $38,300
    • Median household income: $34,100 vs. U.S. average $69,700
  • Home values: Median home value $70,600 vs. U.S. average $281,000

Crime Statistics

  • Overall crime rate: 4100 per 100,000 people (U.S. average: 2300)
  • Murder rate: 76.3 per 100,000 people
    • Comparison: Would rank high if included in larger city lists

City Tour

  • Broadway: Main street through town, shows signs of decay
  • City Methodist Church: Gothic architecture, built in 1926, abandoned since the 1970s
  • Palace Theater: Built in 1926, designed by renowned architect
  • Residential areas: Mix of decaying and well-maintained homes
  • Thomas Edison concrete houses: Unique single-pour concrete homes, many in poor condition
  • Michael Jackson's childhood home: Modest 672 sq ft house, bought for $8,500 in 1950
  • General observations: Some well-maintained areas, significant portions of the city in ruins

Observations and Impressions

  • Significant contrast between different parts of the city
  • Signs of modern development in some areas
  • Lack of major hotels, few grocery stores
  • Personal reflections on the contrast between decay and areas of beauty

Conclusion

  • Mixed impressions
  • Headed to Ohio next

Full transcript