How scary is Gary - Indiana?

[phil_marion]

<p>Back in the 80's a few friends of mine were driving to Chicago and took the wrong fork on the highway and ended up in Gary. Indiana. It was fascinating, reminded me of the Road Warrior movies of post apocalyptic industrial hellhole with huge hulking rusting factories. We were in a rush to get to Chicago and being boys from safe and clean Toronto we didn't want to linger too long there and we weren't comfortable in that alien environment.<br>

Well fast-forward almost 30 years and I am returning to Chicago and now as a photo-enthusiast I can't help but think about returning to Gary to take a few photos of this wondrous urban landscape. I am flying in to Chicago and am wondering if Gary is even MORE photogenic as a rustbelt wasteland or has it been revitalized?<br>

I am not in to the idea of exploring the place by myself and my expensive gear in a rented car but would be willing to do so as part of a walking/photographic urban safari. They have guided tours of favelas in Rio de Janeiro that were well worth the effort. I was able to fire a gang member's pistol in to a mountain rock face - fun stuff!<br>

I was wondering if anyone knows of anything similar for Gary out of Chicago. Or is Gary too scary or perhaps too revitalized and beautiful to warrant a trip?<br>

Thanks for your replies.</p>

[Jerry_]

<p>You can probably find a Gary, Indiana, newspaper on the Internet. That would give you some idea of how the city is currently doing. Any city sight-seeing, for a total stranger, would probably be best done with one or two friends along. And keep alert of your surroundings.</p>

<p> </p>

[eoinmurphy]

<p>Gary Indiana was an Art Critic for the Village Voice.</p>

[stemked]

<p>I was in Gary before Christmas; we were actually birding in the area. I don't think the city is 'scary', sad maybe but not scary. Sad because it does look rather careworn and of course we are well aware of the high poverty in the city. A lot of the Industrial cities around the Great Lakes look rundown (both on the US and Canadian side) and I've seen a lot of those towns. Things do sound like they are improving in Gary, but as an industrial center the Northern part of Indiana is still having a difficult time coming out of the recession.</p>

[SCL]

<p>Forget Gary and drive up to Detroit for a day...lots of (sadly) once grand buildings and factories totally dilapidated and covered in graffiti. Safe...definitely not at night, by day perhaps a little safer.</p>

[Ian Taylor]

<p>Agree. Detroit would be the best by far but somewhat more dangerous than Gary. Even Buffalo and Cleveland have great areas for this type of shooting. I wouldn't let stats scare you though, just go and use common sense.</p>

[phil_marion]

<p>Yeah maybe Gary isn't a interesting as it was in the mid-80's when I happened upon it. Maybe the factories have since been torn down and sold off as scrap metal. But it was quite phenomenal when I happened upon it then. Huge empty rusting factories. The steel is now made cheaper abroad but I think US Steel still has a small operation there now.</p>

[george_katunich]

<p>I grew up in Gary in the 50s and last visited in 2009. I think you will find that most of the industrial buildings are gone. The biggest company is US Steel. They own almost 7 miles of frontage on Lake Michigan. However, if you check out Google Earth you will note that many of the buildings at the plant have been removed. In the 50s there were 25,000 employees. Now only about 4,000. I am guessing that security will not allow you on their property.<br>

As for safety, be careful. The city is very blighted. I drove around my old neighborhood but I had an armed former police officer with me. Perhaps a little over the top but I sure felt a lot more secure. I looked all over for interesting photographs but was very disappointed. I had many fond memories of Memorial Auditorium in downtown. Most of the building had been torn down, I think as a result of a fire. Overgrown with weeds and surrounded with a chain link fence. I don't think you can get into the Palace Theater although I have seen recent interior shots that were exactly what you would want for an example of urban decay. Good luck.</p>

[phil_marion]

<p>Thanks everyone. in the end (and to great joy from the wife) I decided to stay within Chicago Loop. i was able to find enough in the loop to satisfy me photographically. Being from Canada I decided against any adventure that involved hiring armed escorts - I'd rather go to Yemen or Mali again for that. LOL<br>

<a href="http://www.fluidr.com/photos/phil_marion/sets">http://www.fluidr.com/photos/phil_marion/sets</a></p>