The One Small Town In Indiana That’s A Treasure Trove Of Abandoned And Eerie Places
By Tori Jane|Published October 06, 2023
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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.
Of all the ghost towns in Indiana (at the time of this writing, there are more than 30), few are more famous – or should we say infamous – as Gary. Even folks who have never in their lives been to Indiana somehow tend to know that Gary is not somewhere you’ll want to be caught after dark; at one point, it was the literal murder capital of the world. And, technically, Gary is not yet a ghost town: as of 2023, the population of Gary is just over 67,000 – a notable 2% decline since the 2020 census. That being said, there’s another thing adjacent to its near-ghost-town status that draws crowds of a certain kind in: this small town just so happens to be home to more than 13,000 abandoned structures. While Gary may not be an entirely abandoned town in Indiana, it certainly is on its way… and it shows.
Urban exploration in Gary is a dangerous game best left to the most experienced.
Its palatial beauty translates well into death; it's been such a source of admiration and fascination in Gary for everyone from urban explorers to photographers and models that the city now offers permits to go photograph it, making it one of the safest abandoned places in Gary to explore.
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Abandoned apartment buildings have long been a source of intrigue; if empty rooms could speak, what kinds of stories would these ones tell?
Gary was, after all, once a vibrantly alive place. It's as full of memories as it is broken glass, and many of those who still hold memories close are still living.
The Horace Mann School is probably the most famous of the bunch, followed by Gary Elementary School. We're not sure what it is about abandoned schools and libraries that's so captivating, but there's something.
Countless other warehouses, homes, theatres, churches, businesses and more have each met the same fate.
Once upon a time, Gary was the birthplace of the Jackson Five. Over the decades, though, industry died first... followed rapidly by the heart and soul of the city itself.
Don't get us wrong, there are still dedicated folks living in Gary, many of whom are perfectly happy where they are.
They have long family histories here, and despite its rough-around-the-edges nature, they have no plans to leave until they absolutely have to... which won't be any time soon, more than likely.
Since 2020, though, more than 200 buildings have been demolished in the city of Gary.
Will it long remain as one of America's most fascinating abandoned cities, or are its days numbered? We shall see.
We here at Only In Your State are especially fond of Gary. It reminds us that there’s always beauty to be found somewhere… even in urban decay. Craving more? We get it. You might also want to read about the incredibly creepy (and no longer existent, thankfully) Demon House of Gary.
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