Founded in 1906 by Elbert H. Gary, former Chairman of the United States Steel Corporation, the city originated as the chosen site for the location of what was intended to be the world's largest steel plant. The three-year project resulted in the birth of a huge industry and the creation of the city which would be named in honor of the area's great visionary and would instantly become the residence of thousands of steel workers and their families. Throughout the ensuing years, Gary's fortunes have mirrored the ups and downs of its primary industry. Plant layoffs in the 1960s led to a decline in the city's economic and cultural profile, mimicking the fortunes of similar urban centers in the nation.
In 1968, Gary elected Richard Gordon Hatcher as its first African American mayor, who served 20 years from 1968 to 1988. The city today continues to be a major steel producer but still faces economic challenges, which have been somewhat mitigated by the introduction of two casinos which opened along the Gary lakeshore in the 1990s. In 2006, the city celebrated its Centennial. Many notable people call Gary their original home, including well-known entertainers such as Michael Jackson and the Jackson family. Once again, Gary made history when it elected its first female mayor, Karen Freeman-Wilson, who served eight years from 2012 to 2020.
Gary consists of 14 different neighborhoods:
Aetna, Ambridge, Black Oak, Brunswick, Concord, Glen Park, Glen Ryan, Ivanhoe, Marshalltown, Midtown, Miller Beach, Tarrytown, Tolleston, and Westbrook.
Many blacks came to Gary during the Great Migration from southern states in 1910 to 1930 to seek more opportunities in jobs and housing, but still faced discrimination and segregation in northern cities. Midtown was originally the “black” neighborhood in the pre-1960’s days of segregation.