Gary, Indiana, Michael Jackson’s birth place, was once one of the most thriving cities in America. It was a steel town and its fortunes rose with the steel boom that made our cities’ skylines what they are today. After a decade of prosperity, with rising competition and falling profits, US Steel, the town’s main plant, began laying off workers.
Families left town and then more lay offs. The downtown area now looks like this.
Pictured here is the interior of the Palace Theater (facade pictured up top). I had to crawl in through a hole in the alley way and the whole place was almost pitch black. I took this with a 30 second shutter.
I went in alone and I honestly have never had that many chills. My heart pounding was the only thing that seemed louder than the pigeon flying over head.
A few blocks away, the City Methodist Church, once housed 4,000 parishioners.
Now, God is taking his house back.
It’s important to give yourself a good spook every now and then and remember how transient our time here is. If, in a few decades our strongest structures are this far down the line toward rubble, imagine how our triumphant cities would look if untouched for hundreds or even thousands of years. What will there be left of us in a few millennia?
shivers & ghosts…How fascinating & frightening, those dead cities!! Nice and original tribute to MJ! Xo
amazing. i just visited whiteville, nc. my photos are not nearly as beautiful as these, but i’m sure the chills were as real. xo.
I’m loving your blog. Are the photos yours or stock?
these are so beautiful.
Great pics, Tim. The History Channel has a great show called Life After People that pretty much describes the decay and deterioration that you saw in Gary, IN.
Tim, those photographs are amazing. I bet you could imagine the echoes and sounds of bustling crowds in the church and theatre. I couldn’t believe the Jackson Five sign is still up! Thank you for sharing these on your blog.
I’ve missed your last few entries Tim and I’m just now catching up. Your pictures struck me and I just had to tell you so, so…
Cheers,
Maggie
Gorgeous!
touching.