Who was Gary named after? What to know about the northwestern Indiana city
Michael Jackson caused quite a thrill in pop culture with his music during his time.
Gary, Indiana, is well known as home to the “King of Pop,” born in 1958. But how did it get its name?
'A race to the bottom': Indiana wetlands bill could affect Great Lakes, Mississippi River
Where is Gary, Indiana located?
Gary, a city located in Lake County, Indiana, is about 25 miles from downtown Chicago and adjacent to the Indiana Dunes National Park, bordering southern Lake Michigan, according to the City of Gary website.
The steel industry in Indiana
Gary, located near the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area, was once one of the largest steel manufacturing cities in the country.
Who is Gary, Indiana named after?
Hint: it isn't Michael Jackson. Gary is named after lawyer Elbert Henry Gary, founding chairman of the United States Steel Corporation.
Who was Elbert Henry Gary?
According to the National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum, Gary was a chief organizer of the United States Steel Corporation. He helped other companies like the Federal Steel Company, Carnegie Steel Company and others to merge, creating the United States Steel Corporation in 1901, the world’s first billion-dollar business. He acted as chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer of the business, improving working conditions for employees. Gary died in 1927 and the city of Gary, Indiana, was named after him.
What's the population of Gary, Indiana?
As of the 2010 census, Gary had a population of over 80,000 people, with over 31,000 households and nearly 20,000 families residing in the city. Formerly the second largest city in the state of Indiana, Gary was the ninth largest city as of 2010.
What demographics make up Gary, Indiana?
The racial demographic of the city following the 2010 census was 84.8% African American, 10.7% White, 0.3% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 1.8% other races and 2.1% two or more races. Non-Hispanic Whites made up 8.9% of the population, significantly less than 39.1% in 1970, according to the City of Gary.
Age also varied. The median city age was 36.7 years, with 28.1% of the population under the age of 18. Furthermore, 8.6% of residents were between ages 18 and 24, 21.8% were between 25 and 44, 27.1% were ages 45 to 64 and 14.5% were 65 and up. By gender, 46% of the city was male with 54% female.
Things to do in Gary, Indiana
According to The Crazy Tourist, the best attractions in or near Gary are as follows:
Indiana Dunes National Park
Marquette Park
Gary Bathing Beach Aquatorium
Lake Street Beach
The Jackson Family Home
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Gary, Indiana: Who is it named after?
