Midtown (Gary)
Encyclopedia
Midtown, also called Central, is a neighborhood in central Gary, Indiana
. For many decades it was the only African-American neighborhood in the city. It is located south of Downtown Gary and north of Glen Park
along Broadway, Gary's principal thoroughfare. It adjoins the neighborhoods of Tolleston
to the west and Pulaski
to the east. As of 2000, Midtown had a population of 12,056.
The Midtown neighborhood began as a community of poor white ethnic
millworkers, who were excluded from the more upscale neighborhoods close to the Gary Works
. Significant African-American inmigration began after World War I
; the neighborhood remained integrated for a time, but gradually the whites moved out as housing became available elsewhere, while the blacks were kept in Midtown by segregationist city ordinances. The neighborhood's white population dropped from 25% in 1940 to 4% in 1950. In the 1950 census, Midtown accounted for 97% of Gary's black population. Prior to desegregation, Midtown was a largely self-contained African-American community: because blacks were largely excluded from downtown, most retail activity was kept within the neighborhood.
During the Richard Hatcher administration in the 1960s and 1970s, Midtown was targeted for urban renewal
, and thousands of substandard homes were demolished. Today Midtown's housing stock is a mixture of single-family and multi-family homes, including a number of affordable housing developments. As of 2000, the owner-occupancy rate was 36.6%. Commercial activity is concentrated along Broadway and Grant streets.
The neighborhood is served by the W.E.B. DuBois branch of the Gary Public Library, and also has its own post office. Public transportation is provided by buses of the Gary Public Transportation Corporation
running along Broadway. The neighborhood is the site of Theodore Roosevelt High School
.
Famous people from Midtown include the musicians of the Jackson family, such as Janet Jackson
, La Toya Jackson
and Michael Jackson
. Other noted Midtown residents include educator Ida B. King. The neighborhood also hosted many jazz and blues musicians during the segregation period.
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...
. For many decades it was the only African-American neighborhood in the city. It is located south of Downtown Gary and north of Glen Park
Glen Park
Glen Park can refer to:* Glen Park, San Francisco** Glen Park Station on the BART system* Glen Park, Toronto* Glen Park, Williamsville, New York* A district within the fictional city of Los Santos, San Andreas, from the game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas...
along Broadway, Gary's principal thoroughfare. It adjoins the neighborhoods of Tolleston
Tolleston
Tolleston is a neighborhood and former town in west-central Gary, Indiana. It is situated south of Ambridge, west of Midtown, east of Westside and north of Glen Park. Tolleston is the site of two large city parks , a historic cemetery, and the oldest church north of the Little Calumet River...
to the west and 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...
to the east. As of 2000, Midtown had a population of 12,056.
The Midtown neighborhood began as a community of poor white ethnic
White ethnic
White ethnic is a term used in United States sociology to refer to whites who are not of European Protestant background. They consist of a number of distinct groups, and within the United States make up approximately 9.4% of the population...
millworkers, who were excluded from the more upscale neighborhoods close to the Gary Works
Gary Works
The Gary Works is a very large steel mill in Gary, Indiana, on the shore of Lake Michigan. For many years, the Gary Works was the world's largest steel mill, and it remains the largest integrated mill in North America....
. Significant African-American inmigration began after 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 neighborhood remained integrated for a time, but gradually the whites moved out as housing became available elsewhere, while the blacks were kept in Midtown by segregationist city ordinances. The neighborhood's white population dropped from 25% in 1940 to 4% in 1950. In the 1950 census, Midtown accounted for 97% of Gary's black population. Prior to desegregation, Midtown was a largely self-contained African-American community: because blacks were largely excluded from downtown, most retail activity was kept within the neighborhood.
During the Richard Hatcher administration in the 1960s and 1970s, Midtown was targeted for urban renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
, and thousands of substandard homes were demolished. Today Midtown's housing stock is a mixture of single-family and multi-family homes, including a number of affordable housing developments. As of 2000, the owner-occupancy rate was 36.6%. Commercial activity is concentrated along Broadway and Grant streets.
The neighborhood is served by the W.E.B. DuBois branch of the Gary Public Library, and also has its own post office. Public transportation is provided by buses 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...
running along Broadway. The neighborhood is the site of Theodore Roosevelt High School
Theodore Roosevelt High School (Gary)
Theodore Roosevelt High School is a four year public high school of the Gary Community School Corporation in Gary, Indiana, United States...
.
Famous people from Midtown include the musicians of the Jackson family, such as Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
, La Toya Jackson
La Toya Jackson
La Toya Yvonne Jackson is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, television personality, actress, businesswoman, philanthropist, activist and former model. She is the fifth child of the Jackson family...
and Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
. Other noted Midtown residents include educator Ida B. King. The neighborhood also hosted many jazz and blues musicians during the segregation period.