Gary, Indiana
Gary, Indiana | |
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Flag Seal | |
| Nicknames: City of the Century, Magic City, Steel City | |
| Motto: "We Are Doing Great Things" | |
Interactive map of Gary, Indiana | |
Gary Gary | |
| Coordinates: 41°35′26″N 87°20′49″W / 41.59056°N 87.34694°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Indiana |
| County | Lake |
| Townships | Calumet, Hobart |
| Established | 1906 |
| Incorporated | July 14, 1906 |
| Named after | Elbert Henry Gary |
| Government | |
| • Type | Strong mayor–council |
| • Body | City council |
| • Mayor | Eddie Melton (D) |
| • City Clerk | Suzette Raggs |
| Area | |
• Total | 50.663 sq mi (131.217 km2) |
| • Land | 49.932 sq mi (129.323 km2) |
| • Water | 7.312 sq mi (18.938 km2) |
| Elevation | 597 ft (182 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 69,093 |
• Estimate (2023) | 67,652 |
| • Rank | US: 566th IN: 11th |
| • Density | 1,385.6/sq mi (534.97/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 46401–46411 |
| Area code | 219 |
| FIPS code | 18-27000 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2394863 |
| Website | gary.gov |
Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The population was 69,093 at the 2020 census, making it Indiana's eleventh-most populous city. The city has been historically dominated by major industrial activity and is home to U.S. Steel's Gary Works, the largest steel mill complex in North America. Gary is located along the southern shore of Lake Michigan about 25 miles (40 km) southeast of downtown Chicago. The city is the western gateway to the Indiana Dunes National Park, and is within the Chicago metropolitan area.
Gary was named after lawyer Elbert Henry Gary, who was the founding chairman of the United States Steel Corporation. U.S. Steel had established the city in 1906 as a company town to serve its steel mills. Since the 1970s, Gary and other Rust Belt cities have lost a high number of people as the steel industry has gone through restructuring and manufacturing jobs moved offshore. As a result of this economic shift, the city's population has declined 61% since the 1960 census.
Although initially a very diverse city, Gary currently has one of the nation's highest percentages of African Americans. Between 1970 and 2010, Gary had the nation's highest Black population per capita. The city has a legacy of African-American cultural and historical accomplishments. In 1945, Gary was the first city in the Midwest (and one of the first in the United States) to fully integrate its public school system. It elected the country's first Black mayor, Richard Hatcher in 1968, and in 1972 hosted the first and largest National Black Political Convention.
Gary is served by the Gary/Chicago International Airport, an alternative to the Chicago region's two larger airports. The city's public transport is provided by the Gary Public Transportation Corporation and the South Shore Line passenger railway, which connects to the Chicago transit system. It is home to a professional baseball team, the Gary SouthShore RailCats. In addition to its large steel mills, the city is known as the birthplace of the Jackson family, well-known entertainers whose members include singer Michael Jackson.