Gary Coleman
Coleman in May 2005
Born	Gary Wayne Coleman (1968-02-08)February 8, 1968 Zion, Illinois, U.S.
Died	May 28, 2010(2010-05-28) (aged 42)[1] Provo, Utah, U.S.
Cause of death	Epidural hematoma
Occupation	Actor[2]
Years active	1974–2010
Television	Diff'rent Strokes
Spouse	Shannon Price (m. 2007–2008; divorced)[3]

Gary Wayne Coleman^[4] (February 8, 1968 – May 28, 2010) was an American actor, known for his childhood role as Arnold Jackson in the American sitcom Diff'rent Strokes (1978–1986) and for his small stature as an adult. He was described in the 1980s as "one of television's most promising stars". After a successful childhood acting career, Coleman struggled financially later in life. In 1989, he successfully sued his parents and business advisor over misappropriation of his assets, only to declare bankruptcy a decade later.

Early life[link]

Coleman was born in Zion, Illinois, outside Chicago. He was adopted by Edmonia Sue and W.G. Coleman, a nurse practitioner and fork-lift operator, respectively.^[5] He suffered from focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, an autoimmune kidney disease. Because of his chronic illness, combined with the corticosteroids and other medications used to treat it, his growth was limited to 4 ft 7 in (1.40 m),^[6] and his face retained a childlike appearance well into adulthood. He underwent two unsuccessful kidney transplants in 1973 and 1984, and required daily dialysis.^[7]

Career[link]

Coleman's career began in 1974 when he appeared in a commercial for Harris Bank. His line, after the announcer says "You should have a Harris banker" was "You should have a Hubert doll". "Hubert" was a stuffed lion representing the Harris bank logo.^[8][9] The same year, he appeared in an episode of Medical Center.^[8]

While best known for his role on Diff'rent Strokes, Coleman had appeared earlier on in television in The Jeffersons as Raymond, George Jefferson's nephew, and on Good Times as Penny's friend Gary. He also appeared in a 1979 pilot for a revival of The Little Rascals as Stymie.^[10] VH1 rated Coleman first on a list of "100 Greatest Child Stars" on television.^[11]

[edit] Diff'rent Strokes

Coleman was cast in the role of Arnold Jackson in the television sitcom Diff'rent Strokes, portraying one of two young black brothers adopted by a wealthy white widower in Manhattan. The successful show was broadcast from 1978 to 1986.

Coleman became the most popular fixture of the show, enhanced by his character's catchphrase "What'choo talkin' 'bout, Willis?" At the height of his fame on Diff'rent Strokes, he earned as much as US$100,000 per episode. A Biography Channel documentary estimated he was left with a quarter of the original amount after paying his parents, advisers, lawyers, and taxes.^[12] He later successfully sued his parents and his former advisers for misappropriation of his finances and was awarded $1.3 million.^[13] According to castmate Todd Bridges' autobiography Killing Willis, Coleman was made to work long hours on the set of Diff'rent Strokes despite his age and health problems, and this contributed to his being unhappy and separating himself from the cast.^{[citation needed]}

Later character appearances[link]

Coleman became a popular figure, starring in a number of feature films and made-for-TV movies including On the Right Track and The Kid with the Broken Halo. The latter eventually served as the basis for the Hanna-Barbera-produced animated series The Gary Coleman Show in 1982. Coleman also made video game appearances in The Curse of Monkey Island (1997) and Postal 2 (2003). In 2005 Coleman appeared in WWE Superstar John Cena's music video for his single Bad, Bad Man (from the album You Can't See Me), Coleman played the part of himself as a bad guy taking the 1980's pop stars Madonna and Michael Jackson hostage. The music video was a spoof of 1980s culture, focusing on the A-Team television series.^[14][15]

Candidacy for Governor of California[link]

Coleman was a candidate for governor in the 2003 California recall election. This campaign was sponsored by the free newsweekly East Bay Express as a satirical comment on the recall. After Arnold Schwarzenegger declared his candidacy, Coleman announced that he would vote for Schwarzenegger. Coleman placed 8th in a field of 135 candidates, receiving 14,242 votes.^[16]

[edit] Avenue Q

Coleman is parodied in the hit Broadway musical Avenue Q, which won the 2004 Tony Award for best musical. A character presented as Coleman works as the superintendent of the apartment complex where the musical takes place. In the song, "It Sucks to Be Me", he laments his fate.^[7] On Broadway, the role was originally played by Natalie Venetia Belcon.^[17]

The show's creators, Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez, have said that the Coleman character is a personification of one of Avenue Q's central themes: that as children we are told we are "special", but upon entering adulthood we discover that life is not nearly as easy as we have been led to believe. They added that they originally considered asking Coleman himself to play the Gary Coleman role, and he expressed interest in accepting it. However, he never showed up for a meeting scheduled to discuss it.^[18]

In 2005, Coleman announced his intention to sue the producers of Avenue Q for their depiction of him, although the lawsuit never materialized. At the 2007 New York Comic Con, Coleman said, "I wish there was a lawyer on Earth that would sue them for me."^[19]

The Coleman character lives on in the show, despite the death of its inspiration, after minor dialogue adjustments.^[20]

Personal life[link]

Coleman in 2007

In a 1993 television interview, Coleman said he had twice attempted to commit suicide by overdosing on pills.^[21] Around the same time^{[clarification needed]} he was living in Denver, Colorado, where he hosted a show at local radio station KHIH on Sunday nights called "Gary Coleman's Colorado High", where he played light jazz and new age music. He gave his salary to the Colorado Kidney Foundation.^{[citation needed]}

In 2005, Coleman moved from Los Angeles to Santaquin, a small town south of Salt Lake City, Utah, where he lived for the remainder of his life.^[22] In early 2007 he met Shannon Price, 22, on the set of the film Church Ball, where she was working as an extra,^[23] and married her several months later.^[24] On May 1 and 2, 2008, they made a well-publicized appearance on the show Divorce Court^[25] to air their differences in an attempt to save their marriage. Nevertheless, they divorced in August 2008, citing irreconcilable differences,^[26] but according to a court petition later filed by Price, continued to live together as husband and wife until his death.^[3]

Financial struggles[link]

In August 1999, Coleman filed for bankruptcy protection.^[27] Multiple people, he said, were responsible for his insolvency, "...from me, to accountants, to my adoptive parents, to agents, to lawyers, and back to me again."^[28]

Ongoing medical expenses contributed significantly to Coleman's chronic financial problems, and compelled him, at times, to resort to unusual fundraising activities. In 2008, for example, he auctioned an autographed pair of his pants on eBay to help pay his medical bills.^[29] The auction attracted considerable attention, including fake bids up to $400,000. The pants were eventually bought for $500 by comedian Jimmy Kimmel, who famously hung them from the rafters of his television studio.^[30]

Legal troubles[link]

In 1989, Coleman sued his foster parents and former business adviser for $3.8 million over misappropriation of his trust fund,^[31][32] and won a $1,280,000 judgment in 1993.^[33]

Coleman was charged with assault in 1998, while he was working as a security guard. Tracy Fields, a Los Angeles bus driver and fan of Coleman's work on Diff'rent Strokes, approached him and requested his autograph while he was shopping for a bulletproof vest in a California mall. Coleman refused to give her an autograph, an argument ensued, and Fields reportedly mocked Coleman's lackluster career as an actor. Coleman punched Fields in the face several times in front of witnesses. He was arrested and later testified in court that she threatened him and he defended himself. "She wouldn't leave me alone. I was getting scared, and she was getting ugly," he said. Coleman pleaded no contest to one count of assault, received a suspended jail sentence, and was ordered to pay Fields' $1,665 hospital bill as well as take anger management classes.^[34]

In 2007, Coleman was cited for misdemeanor disorderly conduct in Provo, Utah after a "heated discussion" in public with his wife.^[35][36]

In 2008, Coleman was involved in an automobile accident after an altercation at a Payson, Utah bowling alley which began when Colt Rushton, age 24, photographed Coleman without his permission; the two men argued, according to witnesses. In the parking lot, Coleman allegedly backed his truck into Rushton, striking his knee and pulling him under the vehicle, before hitting another car. Rushton was treated at a local hospital for minor injuries and released.^[37][38] Coleman later pleaded no contest to charges of disorderly conduct and reckless driving, and was fined $100. In 2010, he settled a civil suit related to the incident for an undisclosed amount.^[39][40][41]

In 2009, Coleman and Price were involved in a domestic dispute, after which his ex-wife was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, and both parties were cited for disorderly conduct.^[42]

In January 2010, Coleman was arrested on an outstanding domestic assault warrant in Santaquin, booked into the Utah County Jail,^[43] and released the following day.^[44]

Death and memorial[link]

Few details of Coleman's medical history have been made public. His short stature (4 feet, 7 inches or 1.40 meters) stemmed from congenital autoimmune kidney disease and its treatment.^[45] He underwent at least two kidney transplants early in his life, and required frequent dialysis, which he preferred not to discuss. In 2009, he underwent heart surgery, details of which were never made public, but he was known to have developed pneumonia postoperatively.^[22] In January 2010 he was hospitalized after a seizure in Los Angeles, and in February he suffered another seizure on the set of The Insider television program.^[46]

On May 26, 2010, Coleman was admitted to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, Utah in critical condition^[47] after falling down the stairs at his home in Santaquin and hitting his head, possibly after another seizure, and suffering an epidural hematoma.^[48] According to a hospital spokesman, Coleman was "conscious and lucid" the next morning, but his condition subsequently worsened.^[11] By mid-afternoon on May 27, he was unconscious and on life support.^[49] He died at 12:05 pm MDT (18:05 UTC) on May 28 at the age of 42.^[50][51]

The casts of the Off Broadway production of Avenue Q in New York City and the Avenue Q National Tour in Dallas dedicated their May 28 performances to his memory, and the actors playing the Coleman role paid tribute to him from the stage at the performances' conclusions.^[52][53] (The Coleman character remained in the show after modifications were made to relevant dialog.^[20])

The weekend after Coleman's death a scheduled funeral was postponed and later canceled due to a dispute regarding the disposition of his estate and remains between Coleman's adoptive parents, Price, and former business associate Anna Gray. Coleman's former manager Dion Mial was involved initially, but withdrew after Coleman's 1999 will, which named Mial as executor and directed that his wake be "...conducted by those with no financial ties to me and can look each other in the eyes and say they really cared personally for Gary Colemen [sic]",^[54] turned out to be superseded by a later one replacing Mial with Gray,^[55] and directing "...that there be no funeral service, wake, or other ceremony memorializing my passing."^[56][57][58]

Questions were also raised as to whether Price, who authorized discontinuation of Coleman's life support, had the legal authority to do so. The controversy was exacerbated by a photograph published on the front page of the tabloid newspaper The Globe depicting Price posed next to a comatose, intubated Coleman, under the headline, "It Was Murder!"^[59]

The hospital later issued a statement confirming that Coleman had completed an Advanced Health Care Directive granting Price permission to make medical decisions on his behalf.^[60] An investigation by Santaquin police was closed on October 5, 2010, after the medical examiner ruled Coleman's death "accidental", and no evidence of wrongdoing could be demonstrated.^[61][62]

Coleman's remains were cremated, per his wishes, in June, after a Utah judge agreed that there was no dispute regarding that issue.^[63] However, disposition of the ashes was delayed pending a judicial decision on permanent control of the estate. Coleman's final will, signed in 2005, names Gray as executor, and awards his entire estate to her. However, Price and Coleman married in 2007; and while they divorced in 2008, Price claimed in a court petition that she remained Coleman's common-law wife, sharing bank accounts and presenting themselves publicly as husband and wife, until his death; an assertion that, if validated by the court, would make her the lawful heir.^[56]

Price said that should she be granted disposition of Coleman's remains, she planned to scatter the ashes at the Golden Spike National Historic Site in Utah as a tribute to his lifelong love of trains.^[64] However, in May 2012 Judge James Taylor ruled that while Price had lived in Coleman's home after their marriage ended, their relationship at the time of his death failed to meet Utah’s standard for a common-law marriage.^[65]

Filmography[link]

Television[link]

• Medical Center (1974)
• The Little Rascals (1977), TV film
• The Jeffersons (1978, guest)
• Good Times (1978, guest)
• Diff'rent Strokes (1978–1986)
• The Facts of Life (1980)
• Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (episode "The Cosmic Wizz-Kid", also has a cameo in a later episode)
• The Gary Coleman Show (1982) (voice)
• Silver Spoons (1983, guest)
• Amazing Stories (1986) Season 1: Episode 13 – "The Sitter"
• Couch Potatoes (1989) – cameo
• 227 (1990)
• The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (guest) (as Arnold Jackson, with Conrad Bain as Phillip Drummond) (1996)
• The Ben Stiller Show (1993) as himself
• Married With Children (Series 08 episode 16) (1993) as the Building Code Inspector/himself
• The Wayans Bros. (Pilot Episode: "Goop, Hair-It-Is" – January 11, 1995, guest; as himself)
• Sale of the Century - Guest contestant and announcer, circa 1995
• Blankety Blanks (Australian game show, 1996) - Celebrity panelist
• Martin "High Noon" (1995), as Mad Dog No Good
• The Simpsons, "Grift of the Magi" (December 19, 1999)
• The Simpsons, "A Tale of Two Springfields" This was a "sound bite" (November 5, 2000)
• Russian Roulette (2002)
• The Drew Carey Show, "What's Wrong with this Episode? IV" (March 28, 2001)
• Drake & Josh (guest; as himself)
• My Wife and Kids (guest)
• The Jamie Foxx Show (guest as Cupid)
• Married... with Children (guest)
• The Surreal Life (guest)
• Star Dates [guest]
• Unscrewed with Martin Sargent (2003–2004, guest)
• Nitro Circus
• Simon & Simon, "Like Father, Like Son"
• The Parkers as himself
• Penn & Teller: Bullshit! "The Apocalypse" as himself (July 16, 2009, guest)
• Son of the Beach (Season 3 Episode 11: The Long Hot Johnson, 2002) as Saltine Cracker
• Robot Chicken (Season 5 Episode 9: No Country For Old Dogs February 27, 2011) as himself (Posthumous)

Video Games[link]

Coleman was a villain for the game Postal 2 as himself. He provided the voice and motion capture.

Music videos[link]

• John Cena - Bad, Bad Man as himself
• 'N Sync - Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays as Santa's elf

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Gary Coleman

• Gary Coleman at the Internet Movie Database
• Gary Coleman: 1968–2010 photo gallery by The Washington Post
• Gary Coleman at Find a Grave

City of Gary
—  City  —
Downtown Gary
Official seal of City of Gary Seal
Nickname(s): City in Motion, City of the Century, GI, Magic City of Steel, The Steel City, The G
Motto: We Are Doing Great Things
Location of Gary in Lake County (left, shaded in red), and within the state of Indiana, U.S.
Coordinates: 41°35′44″N 87°20′43″W / 41.59556°N 87.34528°W / 41.59556; -87.34528Coordinates: 41°35′44″N 87°20′43″W / 41.59556°N 87.34528°W / 41.59556; -87.34528[1]
Country	United States
State	Indiana
County	Lake
Founded	July 14, 1906
Government
• Type	Council-Strong Mayor
• Mayor	Karen Freeman-Wilson (D)
Area
• Total	57.18 sq mi (148.1 km2)
• Land	49.86 sq mi (129.1 km2)
• Water	7.31 sq mi (18.9 km2)
Elevation[1]	607 ft (185 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	80,294
• Density	1,598.5/sq mi (617.2/km2)
Time zone	CST (UTC–6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC–5)
ZIP codes	46401-46411
Area code(s)	219
FIPS code	18-27000[2]
GNIS feature ID	2394863[1]
Website	http://www.gary.in.us/

Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known for its large steel mills and as the birthplace of the Jacksons singing family. Gary is adjacent to the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

History[link]

Early history[link]

The city was founded in 1906 by the United States Steel Corporation as the home for its new plant. The city was named after the lawyer and founding chairman of U.S. Steel, Elbert Henry Gary.

Gary's fortunes have risen and fallen with those of the steel industry. The growth of the steel industry brought prosperity to the community. Broadway Avenue was known as a commercial center for the region. Department stores and architecturally significant movie houses were built in the downtown area and the Glen Park neighborhood.

In the 1960s, like many other American urban centers reliant on one particular industry, Gary entered a spiral of decline. Gary's decline was brought on by the growing overseas competitiveness in the steel industry, which had caused U.S. Steel to lay off many workers from the Gary area. As the city declined, crime increased.

Rapid racial change occurred in Gary during the late 20th century. These population changes resulted in political change which reflected the racial demographics of Gary. Gary had one of the nation's first African-American mayors, Richard G. Hatcher, and hosted the ground-breaking 1972 National Black Political Convention.

In the 1960s through 1980s, surrounding suburban localities such as Merrillville and Crown Point experienced rapid growth including new homes and shopping districts. Due to white flight, economic distress, and skyrocketing crime, many middle-class and affluent residents moved to other cities in the metro area such as Chicago and surrounding areas in Lake and Porter counties in Indiana.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Gary had the highest percentage of African Americans of U.S. cities with a population of 100,000 or more, 84% (as of the 2000 U.S. census). This no longer applies to Gary since the population of the city has now fallen well below 100,000 residents.

U.S. Steel continues to be a major steel producer, but with only a fraction of its former level of employment. While Gary has failed to reestablish a manufacturing base since its population peak, two casinos opened along the Gary lakeshore in the 1990s although this has been aggravated by the state closing of Cline Avenue, an important access to the area. Today, Gary faces the difficulties of a rust belt former steel town turned urban dumping ground, including unemployment, decaying infrastructure, low literacy and educational attainment levels.

Recent history[link]

2006[link]

Three-term Democratic mayor Scott King resigned from office in March 2006, citing a desire to return to private law practice.^[3] Then-deputy mayor and former Calumet Township trustee Dozier T. Allen Jr. became acting mayor pending a formal election by local Democratic party officials. On April 4, 2006, local officials chose former Lake County commissioner and King rival Rudolph Clay to fill the remaining 21 months of King's term.

The Gary Chicago International Airport (IATA code: GYY) secured nearly $100 million in grants and private donations. The Federal Aviation Administration approved GYY's master plan which includes the expansion of runways, land acquisition for a larger terminal, an integrated transportation center, and provision for a third runway. The first part of the plan requires that the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway line, which runs at the end of the runway, be relocated.

Dallas-based HomeVestors of America released its "Top 10 Markets for Real Estate Investing" list on December 9, 2006. Gary earned the number one position on this list, which represents activity of investors who purchase homes below market and then sell.^[4]

After celebrating its centennial anniversary in 2006, the city of Gary presented several examples of progress and economic rebound, after years of economic depression. Many buildings that have been left vacant for years are now finally slated for demolition and development.^[5] Many new homes were built through the HOPE VI grant from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

2007[link]

Gary was rated the 17th most dangerous city in the United States according to Morgan Quitno's 2007 analysis of crime rates (City Crime Rankings, 14th Edition), down from 10th highest in the 2006 edition. The city recorded 51 homicides in 2006, a 13.5 percent decrease from the previous year.

2008[link]

Forbes Magazine listed Gary 39th on their Top 100 Best Cities for Jobs in 2008. The ranking was up from 89th in 2006 and 84th in 2007.^[6]

In March 2008 the Chief of Police, Deputy Chief and a police sergeant were all indicted by the federal court for violating the civil rights of a Gary resident.^[7]

2011[link]

Property tax limitations implemented for the entire state of Indiana have left Gary in a financially difficult situation.^[8] The city is one of the few in the US that uses cash based accounting, a system usually limited to use in very small businesses and not municipalities with budgets greater than $80 million.^[9] Gary currently is under temporary reprieve from full implementation of the state tax caps, an implementation that is scheduled to be applied to Gary in 2012. At that point Gary's property tax revenue of approximately $60 million is projected to be cut to approximately $30 million. The budget changes necessary at that point are widely viewed to be devastating.^[10] Due to its cash accounting system, there is difficulty determining what Gary's one-time liabilities are. In late 2009, they are at least $34 million in debts and unpaid judgments by the city to various parties in addition to the upcoming projected structural deficit due to mandatory tax caps.

In April 2011, 75 year-old mayor Rudy Clay announced that he would be suspending his campaign for re-election, owing to ongoing treatments for prostate cancer. After exiting from the race, Clay endorsed rival Karen Freeman-Wilson, who won the Democratic mayoral primary in May.^[11]

On November 8, 2011, Freeman-Wilson won election to the office of mayor of Gary with 87 percent of the vote. Her term began January 2012; she is the city's first female mayor.^[12]

Neighborhoods[link]

West[link]

Ambridge Mann is located on Gary's near west side along 5th Avenue. Ambridge was developed for workers at the nearby steel plant in the 1910s and 1920s, and is named after the American Bridge Works, which was a subsidiary of U.S. Steel. The neighborhood is home to a huge stock of prairie style and art deco homes. The Gary Masonic Temple is located in the neighborhood along with the Ambassador Apartment building. Located just south of Interstate 90, the neighborhood can be seen while passing Buchanan Street.

Lake County, Indiana Superior Court Building

Brunswick is located on Gary's far west side. The neighborhood is located just south of Interstate 90 and can be seen from the expressway. The Brunswick area includes the Tri-City Plaza shopping center on West 5th Avenue (U.S. 20). The area is south of the Gary Chicago International Airport.

Gary Centennial Landmark

Downtown Gary was developed in the 1920s and houses several pieces of impressive architecture, including several structures designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. A 6,000-seat minor league baseball stadium for the Gary SouthShore RailCats, U.S. Steel Yard, was constructed in 2002, along with contiguous commercial space. A significant number of older structures have been demolished in recent years, but a number of abandoned buildings remain in the downtown area, including historic structures like Union Station and City Methodist Church. A large area of the downtown neighborhood (including City Methodist) was devastated by fire on October 12, 1997.^[13][14] Interstate 90 divides downtown Gary from the United States Steel Plant.

Tolleston is one of Gary's oldest neighborhoods, predating much of the rest of the city. It was plated out by George Tolle in 1857, when the railroads came to the area. The area is to the west of Midtown and south of Ambridge Mann. Tarrytown is a subdivision located in Tolleston between Whitcomb Street and Clark Road.

South[link]

Black Oak is located on the far southwest side of Gary, in the vicinity of the Burr Street exit to the Borman Expressway. It was annexed in the 1970s. Prior to that, Black Oak was an unincorporated area informally associated with Hammond, and the area has Hammond telephone numbers. The community was convinced (after three previously failed attempts) by Mayor Hatcher that its residents would benefit from better services, provided by the city, than those provided by the county. It is the only majority-white neighborhood in Gary.

Glen Park is located on Gary's far south side, and is made up mostly of mid-twentieth century houses. Glen Park is divided from the remainder of the city by the Borman Expressway. The northern portion of Glen Park is home to Gary's Gleason Park Golf Course and the campus of Indiana University Northwest. The far western portion of Glen Park is home to the Village Shopping Center. Glen Park includes the 37th Avenue corridor at Broadway.

Midtown is located to the south of Downtown Gary, along Broadway. This was, traditionally, the original "black" neighborhood in the pre-1960s days of segregation.

Old Miller School, District #8

North and East[link]

Aetna is located on Gary's far east side along the Dunes Highway. Aetna predates the city of Gary. It was a company town founded in 1881 by the Aetna Powder Works, an explosives company, which closed with the end of World War I. The Town of Aetna was annexed in 1928 around the same time Gary annexed the Town of Miller. A building boom happened shortly afterward in the late 1920s and early 1930s making Aetna home to an impressive collection of art deco architecture. The rest of the community was built throughout the 1950s after the Korean War in a series of phases. On its south and east, Aetna borders the undeveloped floodplain of the Little Calumet River.

Miller Beach, also known through the years as Miller Station or just simply as Miller, is on Gary's far east side. Incorporated as an independent town in 1907, Miller was annexed by the city of Gary in 1918. Miller developed around the old stagecoach stop and train station known, as early as the 1840s, as Miller's Junction. The Miller Beach area has remained somewhat separated from the rest of Gary both culturally and geographically. Miller Beach continues to be racially and economically diverse, and attracts investor interest due to the many year-round and summer homes within walking distance of Marquette Park and Lake Michigan. Prices for lakefront property are affordable compared with Illinois suburban communities. Lake Street provides shopping and dining options for Miller Beach visitors and residents. East Edge, a development of 28 upscale condominium, townhome, and single-family homes, began construction in 2007 at the eastern edge of Miller Beach along County Line Road, one block south of Lake Michigan.^[15]

Lake Street Beach in Miller

Lake County Superior Court House and US Steel Gary Works

Geography and climate[link]

Geography[link]

The city sits on the southern end of the former lake bed of the prehistoric Lake Chicago, and the current Lake Michigan. Most of the city's soil nearly one foot below the surface is pure sand. The sand beneath Gary, and on its beaches, is of such high quality that in years past it was mined for the manufacture of glass. Gary has many statues of Elbert H. Gary in the city. It also has a lot of historical sites to visit.

According to the 2010 census, the city has a total area of 57.18 square miles (148.1 km²), of which 49.86 square miles (129.1 km²) (or 87.20%) is land and 7.31 square miles (18.9 km²) (or 12.78%) is water.^[16]

Gary is "T" shaped, with its northern border on Lake Michigan. At the Northwesternmost section Gary borders Hammond and East Chicago. Miller Beach, its easternmost neighborhood, borders Lake Station and Portage. Gary's southernmost section borders Griffith, Hobart, Merrillville, and unincorporated Ross.^{[citation needed]} Gary is about 40 miles (64 km) from the Chicago Loop.^[17]

Climate[link]

Although Gary is located at a roughly similar latitude as New York City, the climate is colder in the winter because of a more continental influence. In July and August, the warmest months, high temperatures average 84 °F (29 °C) and peak just above 100 °F (38 °C) and low temperatures average 63 °F (17 °C). In January and February, the coldest months, high temperatures average around 29 °F (−2 °C) and low temperatures average 13 °F (−11 °C), with at least a few days of temperatures dipping below 0 °F (−18 °C). The weather of Gary is greatly regulated by its proximity to Lake Michigan, as it sits at the lake's southernmost point. Weather varies yearly. In summer months Gary is humid. The city's yearly precipitation averages about 40 inches. Summer is the rainiest season. Winters vary but are predominantly snowy with regular blizzards. Snowfall in Gary can average 24 to 36 inches per winter, but sometimes large blizzards hit because of "lake effect snow", a phenomenon wherein large amounts of water evaporated from the lake deposits onto the shoreline areas inordinate amounts of snow.

Demographics[link]

As of the census of 2000, there were 102,746 people, 38,244 households, and 25,623 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,045.5 people per square mile (789.8/km²). There were 43,630 housing units at an average density of 868.6 per square mile (335.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.03% African American, 11.92% White, 0.21% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.97% from other races, and 1.71% from two or more races. 4.93% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Non-Hispanic Whites were 8.9% of the population in 2010,^[19] down from 39.1% in 1970.^[20]

The U.S. census figures show that Gary had a population of 80,294 for the 2010 census, a nearly 22% drop compared to the 2000 census.

There were 38,244 households out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.2% were married couples living together, 30.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.28.

In the city the population was spread out with 29.9% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 84.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,195, and the median income for a family was $32,205. Males had a median income of $34,992 versus $24,432 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,383. About 22.2% of families and 25.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.9% of those under age 18 and 14.1% of those age 65 or over.

City and community services[link]

Parks[link]

• Brunswick Park
• Marquette Park
• Pittman Square
• Gleason Park
• Jefferson Park
• Buffington Park
• Hillman Park
• Borman Square

Medical facilities[link]

• Gary Community Health Center and Adult and Children's General Dentist 1021 West 5th Avenue, Gary, IN 46402
• Methodist Hospital 600 Grant Street, Gary, IN 46402-6099
• Rainbow Medical Center 1465 West 16th Avenue, Gary, IN 46407-1025

Education[link]

There are three school districts serving the city and multiple charter schools located within the city.

Public schools[link]

Most public schools in Gary are administered by the Gary Community School Corporation. The other public schools within the city are administered by Lake Ridge Schools Corporation, which is the school system for the Black Oak neighborhood and unincorporated Calumet Township. Due to annexation law, Black Oak residents retained their original school system and were not required to attend Gary public schools. Some Gary residents in the eastern edge of the community attend schools administered by the River Forest Community School Corporation.

Charter schools[link]

Charter schools in Indiana, including those in Gary, are granted charters by one of a small number of chartering institutions. Indiana charter schools are generally managed in cooperation between the chartering institution, a local board of parents and community members, salaried school administrators, and a management company. Charter schools in Gary as of 2011 include KIPP Lead College Prep Charter School, Thea Bowman Leadership Academy, Charter School of the Dunes, Gary Lighthouse Charter School, 21st Century Charter , and West Gary Lighthouse Charter School.

Higher education[link]

Gary is home to two regional state college campuses:

• Indiana University Northwest
• Ivy Tech Community College Northwest

Public libraries[link]

Downtown Library

The Gary Public Library System consists of the main library at 220 West 5th Avenue and several branches: Brunswick Branch, W. E. B. DuBois Branch, J. F. Kennedy Branch, Tolleston Branch, and Woodson Branch.^[21] In March 2011, the Gary Library Board voted to close the main library on 5th Avenue and the Tolleston branch in what officials said was their best economic option. The main library will close by the end of 2011.^[22] Lake County Public Library operates the Black Oak Branch at 5921 West 25th Avenue in the Gary city limits.^[23] In addition Indiana University Northwest operates the Indiana University Northwest Library on its campus.^[24]

Public safety[link]

Gary is served by the Gary Police Department and Gary Fire Department. Gary is also served by the Lake County Sheriff's Department.

Transportation[link]

• NICTD (Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District) operates the South Shore Line, a commuter rail system (one of the United States' last original operating interurban railway systems), running between Chicago and South Bend.

• GPTC (Gary Public Transportation Corporation) a commuter bus system that offers service to numerous stops throughout the city and neighboring suburbs. GPTC also has express service to locations outside of the city including connections to Chicago transit. Front door pickup is available for disabled citizens at no extra cost.

• GYY (Gary/Chicago International Airport) is operating as the "third airport" for the Chicago area. It is undergoing much federally funded expansion, and the administration is courting airlines aggressively. Boeing already bases its corporate fleets here.^{[citation needed]} The National Guard is intending to base its Chicago area air operation there as well,^[25] which would add much needed security to the airport, taking away some of the stigma of an airport in Gary.

• Interstate 90 (Indiana Toll Road), Interstate 80, Interstate 94, and Interstate 65 run through Gary, as well as U.S. Routes 12 and 20, Indiana State Road 912/Cline Avenue and a former stretch of Indiana State Road 312 now decommissioned.

Culture[link]

Arts and film[link]

The 1996 urban movie Original Gangstas was filmed in the city. The movie starred Gary native Fred Williamson, Pam Grier, Jim Brown, Richard Roundtree and Isabel Sanford, among others. Since the early 2000s Gary has experienced a surge of Hollywood filmmakers wishing to shoot movies in the city. In 2009 scenes for the remake of A Nightmare On Elm Street were filmed in Gary.^[26] Scenes from Transformers: Dark of the Moon wrapped up filming on August 16, 2010.^[27]

Nightmare on Elm Street being filmed in Gary

The History channel documentary Life After People was filmed in run-down and derelict parts of Gary, Indiana.^[28]

Meredith Willson's 1957 Broadway musical The Music Man featured the song "Gary, Indiana", and described Gary Conservatory as the alleged alma mater of lead character Professor Harold Hill ("Gary Music Conservatory, Class of '05!"). The joke in Hill's claim, of course, is that the City of Gary was not founded until 1906. Willson's musical, set in 1912, later was the basis of a film (1962) and a made-for-television film (2003).

Sports[link]

The U.S. Steel Yard, home of the Gary SouthShore RailCats

The following sports franchises are based in Gary:

• The Gary SouthShore RailCats are an American Association, professional baseball team. The team plays in Gary's U.S. Steel Yard baseball stadium. The RailCats played in the Northern League from 2002 until 2010 and were the 2005 and 2007 Northern League Champions.

• The Gary Splash are an International Basketball League, professional basketball team. The team plays in Gary's Genesis Convention Center. Formerly the Gary Steelheads played in the IBL, CBA, USBL and IBL.

Sister city[link]

• Fuxin, People's Republic of China^[29]

Notable natives and residents[link]

Michael Jackson's childhood home in Gary, Indiana shortly after the singer's death

Frank Borman

Gary is the hometown of the Jackson family, a family of musicians who influenced the sound of modern popular music. Joe and Katherine Jackson originally moved into their two bedroom house at 2300 Jackson St. in Gary, Indiana, after they got married on November 5, 1949. The famous siblings would later record a song entitled "2300 Jackson Street" in the 1990s.

• Members of the Jackson family include:
  • Maureen Reillette "Rebbie" Jackson (born May 29, 1950)
  • Sigmund Esco "Jackie" Jackson (born May 4, 1951)
  • Toriano Adaryll "Tito" Jackson (born October 15, 1953)
  • Jermaine La Jaune Jackson (born December 11, 1954)
  • La Toya Yvonne Jackson (born May 29, 1956)
  • Marlon David Jackson (born March 12, 1957)
  • Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)
  • Steven Randall "Randy" Jackson (born October 29, 1961)
  • Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966)

Other notables include

• Dan Barreiro, sports radio talk show host
• Albert M. Bielawski, former Michigan State Representative
• Frank Borman (born 1928), astronaut on Gemini 7 and Apollo 8, former CEO of Eastern Air Lines
• John Brim, bluesman.
• Avery Brooks (born 1948), (born in Evansville) actor, director, best known for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
• Karen Freeman-Wilson, former Indiana Attorney General, attorney, politician
• Freddie Gibbs, rapper
• Tom Harmon 1940 University of Michigan Heisman Trophy winner
• LaTroy Hawkins (born December 21, 1972) MLB Pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers
• Gerald Irons, former NFL star, Oakland Raiders
• Tank Johnson, NFL star
• Alex Karras, former NFL star, actor in Blazing Saddles
• Robert Kearns, inventor of the intermittent windshield wiper systems.
• Ron Kittle, former Chicago White Sox outfielder and 1983 American League Rookie of the Year recipient
• Bob Kuechenberg, former NFL star, guard on 1972 Miami Dolphins perfect season team
• Karl Malden (1912–2009), (born in Chicago) Oscar winning actor
• William Marshall, actor
• Brandon Moore (born 1980), NFL guard for the New York Jets
• Dan Plesac (born 1962), former Major League Baseball pitcher with an 18-year career, now a MLB Network analyst
• Glenn Robinson (born 1973), former NBA basketball player
• Paul Samuelson (1915–2009), economist, recipient of the John Bates Clark Medal (1947) and the Nobel prize (1970)
• Joseph Stiglitz (born 1943), economist, recipient of the John Bates Clark Medal (1979) and the Nobel prize (2001)
• Hank Stram, NFL head coach 1960-1977
• Ernest Lee Thomas, actor
• Deniece Williams (born 1950), Grammy Award winning R&B artist
• Fred Williamson, former NFL star, actor, director, producer
• Tony Zale (1913–1997), twice middleweight world champion

Business and industry[link]

Media[link]

• Newspapers – Gary is served by two major newspapers based outside the city, and by a Gary-based, largely African-American interest paper. These papers provide regional topics, and cover events in Gary.
  • The Post-Tribune, originally the Gary Post-Tribune, is now based in Merrillville, a suburb of Gary.
  • The Times, previously known as the Hammond Times. Offices and facilities for The Times are in nearby Munster.
  • The Gary Crusader, based in Gary and largely focused on black or African-American interests and readership.
  • The INFO Newspaper, based in Gary and largely focused on black or (African-American) interests and readership.
• The Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times are also distributed in Gary.

• Broadcast – Gary is served by five local broadcasters plus government access and numerous Chicago area radio and TV stations, and by other nearby stations in Illinois and Indiana.
  • WHNW-LD (Channel 18) a repeater of LeSEA's WHME in South Bend.^[30]
  • WPWR-TV (Channel 50) is the Chicago My Network TV affiliate, but is licensed to Gary. Studios and transmitters are co-located with WFLD's in Chicago, and like WFLD, WPWR is owned by Fox Television Stations.
  • WYIN (Channel 56) is a PBS affiliate licensed to Gary. Their studios are in Merrillville.
  • WGVE (FM 88.7) is owned by the Gary Community School Corporation, and is used primarily as a teaching facility. Programming is maintained by students in the broadcast program at the Gary Career Center. WGVE also carries limited NPR programming.
  • WLTH (AM 1370) carries syndicated talk programming, and is owned by Pluria Marshall Jr.
  • WWCA (AM 1270) is a Relevant Radio owned-and-operated radio station, carrying programming from the Catholic-oriented Relevant Radio network.

See also[link]

	Chicago portal
	Indiana portal

• List of tallest buildings in Gary
• Northwest Indiana

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Gary, Indiana

• City of Gary, Indiana website
• Photos of abandoned buildings in Gary, IN 2011
• Photos galleries of Gary, Indiana from 2005
• U.S. Steel Gary Works Photograph Collection, 1906–1971
• MillerBeachDays
• Dave's Den – providing extensive coverage on the history and development of the City of Gary
• More current photos of Gary's buildings
• Gary at night

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