Gary, Indiana, is an infamous place. Though, like almost anywhere, it does have its small here-and-there elements of charm and nostalgia, for the most part, anyone asked which city in Indiana is the worst will most likely be immediately answered with “Gary.” Even folks from out of state are often aware of just how notorious Gary has become, and for good reason: it was once the murder capital of the United States, and to this day, it still ranks very high on lists of the most dangerous towns in the country. It’s one of the most dangerous cities in Indiana for sure, but there’s an element of dark fascination to it as well. Let’s take a look at one of Gary’s most iconic abandoned structures, Horace Mann High School. If it’s still standing now, it won’t be for long. This abandoned high school in Indiana is easily one of the eeriest places in the Midwest.

Horace Mann High School was built in 1928, and for a while there, it would be quite the happening place.
Boston Public Library/The Tichnor Brothers Collection/Flickr
By 1929, it would house almost 900 students. By 1937, the student body at Horace Mann High School had grown to just over 2,380.
Nowadays, though, it's... a little rough around the edges, to say the least.
Robert Clark/Google Local
Thanks to a combination of factors including increasingly sparse funding, desegregation in the 1960s and the election of the city's first black mayor (and, consequently, a large number of white residents of Gary leaving, a phenomenon known as "white flight"), and overall lack of maintenance, the high school - and the rest of Gary - rapidly began falling into disrepair.
As Gary's population plummeted, so too did enrollment at Horace Mann High School.
Mark Devino/Google Local
A temporary boost in funding would allow a new, more modern gym and cafeteria in 1985, but it would not be enough to revive the dying high school. By 2003, there were just 546 students left roaming the halls, and Horace Mann High School was officially placed on the chopping block for closure.

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Students and even teachers attending the high school were stunned to learn about the closure via the newspaper.
Mark Devino/Google Local
It was certainly news to them, and plenty of Gary residents were furious. After an extensive battle to try and save the school, it ultimately remained shuttered, and to this day, its halls are eerily quiet.
It's strange to wander through classrooms and the gymnasium knowing that once, these places were almost never silent.
Mark Devino/Google Local
There are still desks, textbooks, and so many other relics of the place this building once was. You can almost hear the constant buzz of teenagers' voices flooding the hallways; their cheers still echo in the gym despite its dilapidated condition.
A long time ago, countless young adults grew up here. Now, it's a shell of its formerly vibrant self.
Robert Clark/Google Local
In 2021, the school (and numerous other schools nearby) was sold to the Gary Housing Authority for $5,000. Its future is uncertain for now; the property is undergoing inspections and studies to discover the best course of action for what to do next.

It really is amazing to see what was left behind in this abandoned school. Take a look at what Horace Mann High School looks like today in this video from Out Somewhere Venturing:

We are unable to confirm whether or not the building is still standing at the time of this writing; we have found nothing indicating it’s been razed yet, and the most recent news about the school is in regards to its having been sold. We do know that, as of less than one year ago, Horace Mann High School was still there – what have you heard?

For more amazing abandoned places in Indiana, check out this eerie Hoosier State ghost town road trip!

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Horace Mann High School

Chris Muras | January 31, 2023

How many abandoned schools in Indiana are in Gary?

Horace Mann High School in Gary Indiana is probably the largest and most notable abandoned school in Indiana, however, there are quite a few more. Over 20 schools have been shuttered and left to rot in Gary Indiana. Here is a list of a few abandoned schools in IN:

  • Horace Mann High School
  • Lew Wallace High School
  • Emerson School for Visual and Performing Arts
  • Spaulding Elementary School
  • Brunswick Elementary School

 

Are there any haunted places in IN?

Some of the scariest places in America can be found in Indiana, but are they truly haunted? Here is a list of a few allegedly haunted places in Indiana so you can check them out and see if you believe that is really haunted:

  • Elizabethtown Cemetery, near Muncie, IN: This old cemetery from an abandoned town established in 1839 is quite possibly haunted. Professional paranormal investigators have recorded strange sounds at night - ghost sounds - not people sounds.
  • Central State Hospital, Indianapolis, IN: Formerly called the Indiana Hospital For The Insane, there are some pretty angry ghosts remaining who didn't care for the inhumane practices and mass graves they were dumped into. Can you blame them?
  • Old Blackford County Jail, Hartford City, IN: Of course, an old county jail is haunted, we wouldn't expect anything less. Those that visit this abandoned jailhouse report hearing voices yelling at them to leave as soon as they step foot in the door.
  • Hannah House, Indianapolis, IN: This 1800s brick building was used as an Underground Railroad location to help slaves escape to freedom. One night a lamp was knocked over setting fire to the building - all of them perished.

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Horace Mann High School, 525 Garfield St, Gary, IN 46404, USA