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Bill Fultz
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Fallen Angel
Fallen Angel

City Methodist Church
Gary Indiana

5 Image HDR

Constructed at the cost of over 1 million dollars in 1926, the City Methodist Church is a massive nine story structure that sits in downtown Gary in a complete state of ruin and destabilization. Architecturally designed in a traditional English Gothic style, the church remained a place of worship until1975. Due to a major population shift in northeast Indiana in the late 60’s and early 70’s the churches congregation shrank and it was sold to Indiana University as a campus extension, but was never used. Over the following years the church was used for many purposes but eventually was abandoned. 1997 it was severely damaged in a massive fire which also included several nearby buildings. The fire was believed to be act of arson. It has been suggested that the building become a "ruins garden" like those found in Europe.

There’s a level of uneasiness when you first approach the building but it seemed like the most comfortable abandoned building in the area as far as chances of crime. It sits directly across the street from a college and daycare with lots of activity around. Access is easy, there are no doors on the structure and no boards on the windows, trees and bushes cover what used to be the lawn. Inside it’s amazing to walk among a place which was at one time such a thing of beauty. There’s an auditorium, 4 floors of rooms, a basket ball court where the roof has completely collapsed, and of course the cathedral, shown here. Every room there was debris, concrete, wood, cloths and other odds and ends. Sounds from the surrounding streets gave the impression that what is happening outside is right within the building. People taking, cars, emergency vehicles and construction made for an odd soundtrack. I will admit I was a bit uneasy while I was here. Being completely unfamiliar with the area, there was always that concern in the back of my head that some undesirables with a criminal intent would approach or would be found living among the ruins. Nonetheless, this place is incredible and I got several satisfactory images from here. Most of the posts from Gary will return in a b&w form sometime in the future.

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Taken on: January 29, 2012
Tags: Everybody's photos tagged with City Methodist Church City Methodist Church Everybody's photos tagged with Gary Indiana Gary Indiana Everybody's photos tagged with Abandoned Abandoned more » Everybody's photos tagged with Abandonment Abandonment « less
Sets appears in:   • High Dynamic Range (HDR)    • Indiana   
Groups appears in:   • Indiana    • beautiful decay.    more » • Abandoned Places and Things    • My First HDR - beginners group    • HDR Decay    • HDR Unlimited    • Abandoned, Neglected, Weathered, or Rusty    • HDR-a-licious    • HDR ADDICTED    • Old And Beautiful (buildings ,barns, shacks, and abandoned homes    • Decayed yet Hauntingly Beautiful    • HDR Club    • The decayed and the abandoned    • HDR Churches    « less
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