The Abandoned Ruins In This Indiana City Will Blow You Away

Gary, Indiana has seen the both the highs and the lows of life throughout the city’s history.

The city was built in 1906 around the United States Steel Corporation’s Gary Works. The Steel Strike of 1919 brewed civil unrest in the city, which flared up into a full-fledged riot between the striking steel workers and strikebreakers that forced Governor James P. Goodrich to declare martial law.

Despite the early conflicts, the steel industry provided ample job opportunities and Gary’s population boomed…then busted. The fortunes and failures of the city are reflective of the steel industry; the rapid expansion of the early years was bolstered by the steel needs during WWII, but the declining demand and growth of international competition dragged Gary into a downward spiral.

In 2013, the Gary Department of Redevelopment reported that whopping one third of homes within city limits were empty or abandoned. Unlike other “abandoned” towns across the country, Gary is still alive with a population of over 80,000—a “modern ghost town” unlike any other.

We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/

City Methodist Church Flickr / Mike Boening Photography From the inside, you would think you were standing in an epic European cathedral, and even as nature slowly reclaims the structure, which was abandoned in 1975, the place still feels somewhat sacred. Flickr / Vail Marston Flickr / Joey Lax-Salinas Flickr / Michael Kappel This enormous gothic revival church was built in the 1920s and held a congregation of nearly 3,000 people. Flickr / Rachel The empty building survived surprisingly safe from vandals and many of the original stained glass windows remain untouched; however, an increasing number of trespassers has led the city to securely gate and patrol the property. Flickr / Nick Forslund The City of Gary does offer permits for photographers to poke around inside, and their pictures are both sad and stunning.

The tumultuous history was devastating for many Gary residents and the deserted buildings left behind are an inescapable reminder of the city’s former glory. These slowly decaying structures provide a melancholy snapshot of history, but we also see something hauntingly beautiful in their breakdown.

Have you explored any of these abandoned spots? Do you know of others we should check out? Tell us about it in the Comments section below!