City Methodist, a grand old church brought low by the slow march of time. Opened in 1925, four one million dollars, most of that being fund-raised by Reverend William Seaman, and US Steel footing some of the bills. Constructed in the English Gothic style, the sanctuary alone stands nine stories tall and could house 950 people. But the church was more than just the sanctuary. The whole complex had a school and theatre for traditional plays and films. It also had space for storefronts. At its peak, there were 3,000 members on the church roll. But when the steel industry crashed…the people moved away from Gary. By the time the church closed its doors in 1975, less than 100 people were in attendance on Sunday mornings. The city took ownership of the property. A string of arson in 1997 significantly damaged the grand old church. Although several efforts to save the church have sadly failed at this point, the most recent one was the turn it into a European Style ruins garden, preserving and stabilizing the sanctuary. But in the end, it all comes down to money that the city doesn’t have. And so, I continue to enjoy the church as it is.
