Downtown in Gary in Lake County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Gary State Bank
Photographed by Lou Donkle, September 14, 2019
1. Gary State Bank Marker
In 1906, a two-level building was erected on the corner of Sth Avenue and Broadway and became the Gary State Bank which operated in the building above until it was razed in 1925 to make way for a new high-rise building.
In 1927, the 10 story Gary State Bank building was completed and opened on the corner of Sth Avenue and Broadway and became the premier office building in Gary and all of Northwest Indiana, with banking and retail on the ground level. In addition to providing the community with some of the most luxurious office space of its time, the bank served the more than 30,000 steel mill workers, their families, and the entire community on a daily basis.
Constructed 1927
Architect Ivar Viehe Naess & Company of Chicago
Erected by Knight Foundation, Legacy Foundation, Decay Devils, Gary Indiana.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1927.
Location. 41° 36.267′ N, 87° 20.175′ W. Marker is in Gary, Indiana, in Lake County. It is in Downtown. It is at the intersection of East 4th Avenue (U.S. 12/20)
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Northwest Indiana, specifically on the Indiana Dunes and Lake Michigan Shore, and in the Calumet Region. It is also in the American Midwest, on the Great Lakes, and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Gary Public Library (here, next to this marker); Horace Mann (here, next to this marker); City Methodist Church (a few steps from this marker); Emerson (a few steps from this marker); Ambassador Apartments (a few steps from this marker); Memorial Auditorium (a few steps from this marker); Jefferson Park Water Tower
Photographed by Lou Donkle, July 30, 2022
2. Marker located with several others on the South Shore Line retaining wall
Photographed by Lou Donkle, September 14, 2019
3. Entrance to building during a preservation tour
Photographed by Lou Donkle, September 14, 2019
4. Lobby of building during a preservation tour
Photographed by Lou Donkle, July 1, 2024
5. Gary State Bank Marker reproduced and replaced after loss
Photographed by Lou Donkle, July 1, 2024
6. Gary State Bank Marker located to right of the City Methodist Church marker
Credits. This page was last revised on August 27, 2024. It was originally submitted on June 25, 2023, by Lou Donkle of Valparaiso, Indiana. This page has been viewed 1,974 times since then and 127 times this year. Last updated on August 19, 2024, by Lou Donkle of Valparaiso, Indiana. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on June 25, 2023, by Lou Donkle of Valparaiso, Indiana. 5, 6. submitted on August 22, 2024, by Lou Donkle of Valparaiso, Indiana. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
