Gary's Glen Park

Book excerpt: Americas Big Steel gave birth to Gary in 1906, when the United States Steel Corporation established a plant in Indiana along the southern shore of Lake Michigan. The new city on the lake attracted thousands of job seekers from the coalfields and factories in the East to far-off lands in southern and eastern Europe. As they settled in Gary, immigrant groups established communities, built churches and schools, and instilled in their children the values of hard work, strong faith, and cultural traditions. Images of America: Garys Glen Park looks back at the southern neighborhood of Steel City from its birth to the early 1970s. Each chapter looks at a specific part of the areas history, such as the neighborhood, local businesses, memorable events, and people. Other chapters focus on the foundations of any community: the churches and schools.