Gary in Lake County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
St. Augustine’s Church
Photographed by Lou Donkle, January 22, 2026
1. St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church Marker
In need of their own place to worship in the segregated city of Gary, a group of Black professionals helped establish St. Augustine's Episcopal Mission in 1927. In the late 1930s and 1940s, Benedictine monks, assigned by the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana, aided the Mission. Under the leadership of Rev. Wallace Wells, the congregation flourished in the 1950s.
St. Augustine's involvement in social and civil rights issues included efforts to integrate the beach at Marquette Park in 1953 and to find adoptive families for Black children. After years of growth, the Mission commissioned renowned architect Edward Dart to design a new church here, which opened in 1959. The diocese bestowed parish status on St. Augustine's in 1961.
Erected 2025 by Indiana Historical Bureau, Indiana Landmarks, William G. Pomeroy Foundation, Founding families of St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, and Paula M. DeBois.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Parks & Recreational Areas • Religion & Religious Structures. In addition, it is included
this page online
Location. 41° 35.036′ N, 87° 22.116′ W. Marker is in Gary, Indiana, in Lake County. It is at the intersection of Ellsworth Street and Ellsworth Street, on the left when traveling south on Ellsworth Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2501 W 19th Ave, Gary IN 46404, United States of America. Touch for directions.
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 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: St. John's Lutheran Church (approx. 0.6 miles away); In Memory Of All American Veterans (approx. 1.4 miles
Photographed by Lou Donkle, January 22, 2026
2. St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church Marker - side 2
Also see . . . St. Augustine's Episcopal Church (Gary, Indiana). Wikipedia page.
The historically black parish was chartered in 1927 by thirty African American professionals as a Colored Episcopal Mission. St. Augustine's original home was at 19th and Adams in Gary's Midtown section in an old Roman Catholic mission building. The first service in the congregation's new home was held on May 8, 1959.(Submitted on April 30, 2026, by Lou Donkle of Valparaiso, Indiana.)
Additional commentary.
1. St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church
This marker is about St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church. The author of the state application and point person for this marker reports that the word Episcopal
Photographed by Lou Donkle, January 22, 2026
3. Marker in front of St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church
— Submitted May 19, 2026.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 19, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 28, 2026, by Lou Donkle of Valparaiso, Indiana. This page has been viewed 107 times since then. Last updated on April 29, 2026, by Paula DeBois of Gary, IN 46404, USA, Indiana. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 28, 2026, by Lou Donkle of Valparaiso, Indiana. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
