A Palace Was Built And Left To Decay In The Middle Of Indiana's Most Infamous City
By Tori Jane|Published January 11, 2022
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Tori Jane
Author
Tori Jane is a storm chaser, writer, photographer, and the village idiot - in that order. When she's not out and about dancing with the meanest storms on planet Earth for funsies she can be found wandering, shooting landscapes, writing, editing photos, and otherwise up to no good. Legend has it that she can also be occasionally spotted typing up short bios in the third person, but those rumors are unsubstantiated.
It’s no secret that Gary, Indiana, is a less-than-loved place. If you ask any Hoosier if there’s a city they avoid like the plague, chances are, they’re going to tell you it’s Gary. It’s also no secret, then, that Gary is home to more than 13,000 abandoned buildings, including a palatial church that, should you ever decide to check it out, will knock your socks right off. This incredible palace that is the most iconic abandoned church in Indiana (if not the Midwest or the entire US) is very much worth a gander.
Below is a photograph of City Methodist Church as it looked in 1955. It was a different place then (and so was Gary).
In the early 1900s, a local pastor by the name of William Grant Seaman headed the congregation at the local Methodist church. He had a vision: he would transform the city of Gary, which had already become something of a shady place, into a place of virtue and morality once more by building an amazing mega-church and leading the citizens of town into a new time.
Needless to say, one thing led to another, and the good times didn't last.
Construction on the church began in 1925. It took 21 grueling months to build at a cost of more than $800,000. Today, this would be about $12,706,194. It was ambitious and beautiful, and everyone had high hopes that this symbolized a new era in Gary.
By 1927, the church had a congregation of 1,700. In 1929, Pastor Seaman was ousted from his position due to controversy over his interests in cultural diversity. He died in 1944, and as he requested, his ashes were interred within the church, which by now had become something of a local palace of worship.
However, Gary took a sharp downturn for the worse during the 1960s and '70s. Maintenance costs for the behemoth building were astronomical, and the church was unable to keep up. By 1973, there were just 300 congregants remaining.
Finally, in 1975, the church officially died. It closed its doors, and the rest is, as they say, history.
Though the still-impressive building was handed over to Indiana University after its closure, there was nothing done with it. It was allowed to fall into rapid disrepair until 1997, when a fire ravaged the church and hastened its plunge into decay.
In 2011, part of the sanctuary area's roof collapsed.
In 2014, plans were made - and then scrapped, and then made again - to preserve the sanctuary as part of a new park. The remainder of the building will be demolished, but there are no set dates yet.
The church has become something of a haven for the strange and unusual in the days since its closure.
It's a popular site for gothic-themed weddings, for instance; it has also made appearances in several films, TV shows, documentaries, and more. Ironically, in its death it found new life; it's a place for artists and beatniks, graffiti masters and urban explorers. It's something special, and as long as it's still standing, there will always be this odd sense of pride about it.
Interested in a permit to explore this gorgeous Gothic masterpiece? Call (219) 944-1201 and inquire about one; they cost $50. Though we understand why many might object to paying for a permit to access a decaying building, please remember that funds for permits go to the city of Gary itself, and funding is very important for all cities to thrive. Help breathe more new life into this little place by purchasing permits before exploring – plus, it’s way cheaper than trespassing fines.
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