Aetna (Gary)
Encyclopedia
Aetna is a neighborhood in northeastern Gary, Indiana
, south of Miller Beach
and east of Interstate 65
. As of 2000, the neighborhood had a population of 4,942, which was 83% black and 11% white.
Aetna borders directly on Miller Beach to the northeast, but is separated from the Pulaski
neighborhood to the west by the industrial corridor along Interstate 65, and from the town of Lake Station
to the south and east by the floodplain of the Little Calumet River. Some definitions of the border between the Miller and Aetna neighborhoods place Aetna's northeastern corner at the intersection of Lake Street and the CSX tracks, with the result that Miller Station
on the South Shore Line, the populous Glen Ryan subdivision, and half of Miller Avenue, are within the boundaries of Aetna. Other definitions restrict Aetna to the area south of U.S. 20
.
Aetna's housing stock is dominated by small single-family homes, with 89% occupancy and 66% owner-occupancy as of 2000. Aetna's housing prices are significantly below the city average. This contrasts to homes in neighboring Miller Beach, which are among the city's most expensive.
Aetna shares with Miller Beach the U.S. 20 retail corridor, one of the major retail areas in Gary. It is home to a 3.5-acre city park, Aetna Park. Aetna is also near the much larger recreational areas of Miller Beach, such as Marquette Park
and the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
. It is served by a single bus route of the Gary Public Transportation Corporation
; the same route also serves Miller Beach
.
Aetna was founded in 1881 as a company town for the Aetna Powder Company, a munitions manufacturer. The location was chosen in part for its remoteness, in rolling dune and swale country nearly a mile from the small town of Miller. The factory employed about 500 workers, most of whom lived in Aetna although some commuted from nearby towns. Originally the munitions had to be carted to the train station in Miller for shipment, but the arrival of the Wabash Railroad
in 1895 gave Aetna its own train station. The plant suffered from frequent violent explosions, often fatal; a 1912 explosion caused six deaths, and another in 1914 broke windows as far away as downtown Gary. During World War I
, the factory employed 1200 people. However, it closed after the war, and Aetna's population shrank to fewer than 100.
Aetna was incorporated as a town in 1907. It was annexed by Gary in proceedings lasting from 1924 to 1928.
Gary, Indiana
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...
, south of Miller Beach
Miller Beach
Miller Beach is a community on the southernmost shore of Lake Michigan. Originally an independent town first settled in 1851, Miller was annexed by the city of Gary, Indiana in 1918...
and east of Interstate 65
Interstate 65
Interstate 65 is a major Interstate Highway in the United States. The southern terminus is located at an intersection with Interstate 10 in Mobile, Alabama, and its northern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 90 , U.S. Route 12, and U.S...
. As of 2000, the neighborhood had a population of 4,942, which was 83% black and 11% white.
Aetna borders directly on Miller Beach to the northeast, but is separated from the Pulaski
Pulaski (Gary)
Pulaski is a neighborhood in eastern Gary, Indiana. It is roughly triangular in shape, bounded on the south by the Borman Expressway, on the west by Maryland Street, and on the northeast by the Norfolk Southern railway. It is separated by an industrial corridor from Aetna to its east; it directly...
neighborhood to the west by the industrial corridor along Interstate 65, and from the town of Lake Station
Lake Station, Indiana
Lake Station is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The population was 12,572 at the 2010 census.-History:An early depot stop on the Michigan Central Railroads Detroit to Chicago line through the Calumet region, the village was first named when George Earle mapped out a town of about in...
to the south and east by the floodplain of the Little Calumet River. Some definitions of the border between the Miller and Aetna neighborhoods place Aetna's northeastern corner at the intersection of Lake Street and the CSX tracks, with the result that Miller Station
Miller (NICTD)
Miller is a South Shore Line commuter station serving the neighborhood of Miller Beach in eastern Gary, Indiana. The Miller stop is one of three NICTD electric train stations within the current municipal boundaries of Gary....
on the South Shore Line, the populous Glen Ryan subdivision, and half of Miller Avenue, are within the boundaries of Aetna. Other definitions restrict Aetna to the area south of U.S. 20
U.S. Route 20 in Indiana
U.S. Route 20 in Indiana is a main east–west highway that is parallel to the Indiana Toll Road. The western terminus of US 20 is at the Illinois state line and the eastern terminus is at the Ohio state line. US 20 through Whiting, East Chicago, and Gary is concurrent with...
.
Aetna's housing stock is dominated by small single-family homes, with 89% occupancy and 66% owner-occupancy as of 2000. Aetna's housing prices are significantly below the city average. This contrasts to homes in neighboring Miller Beach, which are among the city's most expensive.
Aetna shares with Miller Beach the U.S. 20 retail corridor, one of the major retail areas in Gary. It is home to a 3.5-acre city park, Aetna Park. Aetna is also near the much larger recreational areas of Miller Beach, such as Marquette Park
Marquette Park
Marquette Park may refer to one of several places that are named in honor of Jacques Marquette, a French Jesuit missionary.*Marquette Park in Chicago, Illinois*Marquette Park in Gary, Indiana...
and the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is a U.S. National Lakeshore located in northwest Indiana and managed by the National Park Service. It was authorized by Congress in 1966. The national lakeshore runs for nearly along the southern shore of Lake Michigan, from Gary, Indiana, on the west to Michigan...
. It is served by a single bus route of the Gary Public Transportation Corporation
Gary Public Transportation Corporation
The Gary Public Transportation Corporation is a commuter bus system in Gary, Indiana that offers service to numerous stops throughout the city and neighboring suburbs...
; the same route also serves Miller Beach
Miller Beach
Miller Beach is a community on the southernmost shore of Lake Michigan. Originally an independent town first settled in 1851, Miller was annexed by the city of Gary, Indiana in 1918...
.
Aetna was founded in 1881 as a company town for the Aetna Powder Company, a munitions manufacturer. The location was chosen in part for its remoteness, in rolling dune and swale country nearly a mile from the small town of Miller. The factory employed about 500 workers, most of whom lived in Aetna although some commuted from nearby towns. Originally the munitions had to be carted to the train station in Miller for shipment, but the arrival of the Wabash Railroad
Wabash Railroad
The Wabash Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. It served a large area, including trackage in the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri and Ontario. Its primary connections included Chicago, Illinois, Kansas City, Missouri, Detroit,...
in 1895 gave Aetna its own train station. The plant suffered from frequent violent explosions, often fatal; a 1912 explosion caused six deaths, and another in 1914 broke windows as far away as downtown Gary. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the factory employed 1200 people. However, it closed after the war, and Aetna's population shrank to fewer than 100.
Aetna was incorporated as a town in 1907. It was annexed by Gary in proceedings lasting from 1924 to 1928.