Categories
Preservation

Union Station, Gary, Ind.

In 1910, this elegant Union Station was erected along the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern and Baltimore & Ohio lines through Gary. Beaux Arts style was still in vogue but construction would utilize the latest in 20th Century steel-reinforced poured concrete. Even today the station is structurally sound and the exterior is in remarkable condition. Yet the abandoned structure awaits an uncertain future, located among a maze of elevated railroad mainlines. Vandals, pigeons, and the elements have thoroughly damaged this one time showpiece and its magnificent interior has been stripped. Ceilings are caving in and all windows have been shattered.

Plans to reuse the facility have been in the works for five decades, and time is ticking away. The station has been added to the top 10 most endangered list of the Indiana Historic Landmarks Foundation. The city applied for federal money in 2000 to stabilize the station and begin redevelopment.

Interested persons should send letters of support to info@indianalandmarks.org