Why don't Chicagoans consider NWI part of the Chicagoland area? (Gary: apartment, hotel)

[Chuckity]

Originally Posted by Chuckity

I gotta ask, what are the obvious reasons Chicagoans are familar with Valpo?

Still waiting for an answer ...

Originally Posted by suburban_boy

This started in Gary (once NWI's cultural center) and since has spread into Hammond, East Chicago and Whiting. However, South of ridge road has gone through tremendous urban sprawl or suburbanization and due to some very intense "white flight", which has added to the problems of the region.


NWI lost its cultural center with the fall of Gary. Also, the high umemployment rate and social/economic change of the Gary created a serious cultural disconnection by people from the suburbs. Therefore, the people of NWI was forced to create cultural and economic ties to Chicago, but the people never fully integrated with Chicago folks. The Majority of the new residents have more ties to chicago than NWI. So they really have no no real interest in NWI, but to live in. The reasons people move to NWI are b/c of it's low cost of living, proximity to Chicago or they might work there. The only real unique area is Miller Beach and its lacking in many categories.

Gary was never the "cultural center" of NWI.

[suburban_boy]

Originally Posted by Chuckity

I gotta ask, what are the obvious reasons Chicagoans are familar with Valpo?

Valporaiso University! Okay. It's not Notre Dame, but is pretty well known in Chicagoland. I think?

[Chuckity]

Originally Posted by suburban_boy

Valporaiso University! Okay. It's not Notre Dame, but is pretty well known in Chicagoland. I think?

I really don't think so.

I grew up in Chicago - within the city limits ... and I never heard of VU.

[suburban_boy]

Originally Posted by Chuckity

Still waiting for an answer ...




Gary was never the "cultural center" of NWI.

Uuuh, yes it was!!

Gary was definately the cultural center of NWI and in some ways it still is. Most of the action was centered around Broadway and Fifth Avenue. Gary was the center of industry, culture, entertainment, politcs, Media and nightlife for NWI. Gary was one the most diverse cities in NWI. From the turn of the century to the Great Depression Gary drew people from all over the world (Majority would come from Europe).

Also, Gary is unique in its architectural Legacy and for a short period, was in a league of its own. World Renown Architects designed some of Gary's most notable landmarks which includes:

The Palace Theater (Designed by John Eberson); City Hall (George and Phillip Maher); Marquette Park Pavilion (George Maher); Marquette Park Auqatorium (George W. Maher); Ingwald Moe House (Frank Lloyd Wright); Wilburt Wynant House (Frank Lloyd Wright); Gary Heat, Light, and Water Company building--900 Madison (George Maher) just to name a few[SIZE=3].[/SIZE]

Other Gary Cultural Landmarks include:
Hotel Gary (now Genesis Apartments), City Methodist Church, Gary Post Office, Court House, Memorial Auditorium, Knights of Columbus Building, Gary Water Tower

Gary had the best park system in NWI (Marquette Park, Gateway Park, Jefferson Park, Gleason Park ect.), which attracted the wealthy elite of the Midwest.

Midtown was the cultural and economic center for Black's. It was also the center for Jazz and Blues in NWI. At the center was VeeJay records, which was the most successful Black-owned Record label prior to Motown. They helped launch a number of musician's careers including the BEETLES!! Andrew A. Means was the first black Contractor to build affordable homes for Blacks in the US!!

I can go on and on, but I think I've proven my point. This is exactly what I'm talking about. A lot of people in NWI has lost their connection with their cultural center (Gary) and allowed the city to crumble. And whatever was left was moved to Merrillville and other burbs. This is the same problem facing Detroit.

[Drover]

The Beetles [sic]??

[Avengerfire]

^ They used to wear crimson suits. It was said the closest part of their sound to The Beatles was the Ringo clone. ^

[Chuckity]

Originally Posted by suburban_boy

Uuuh, yes it was!!

Gary was definately the cultural center of NWI and in some ways it still is. Most of the action was centered around Broadway and Fifth Avenue. Gary was the center of industry, culture, entertainment, politcs, Media and nightlife for NWI. Gary was one the most diverse cities in NWI. From the turn of the century to the Great Depression Gary drew people from all over the world (Majority would come from Europe).

Also, Gary is unique in its architectural Legacy and for a short period, was in a league of its own. World Renown Architects designed some of Gary's most notable landmarks which includes:

The Palace Theater (Designed by John Eberson); City Hall (George and Phillip Maher); Marquette Park Pavilion (George Maher); Marquette Park Auqatorium (George W. Maher); Ingwald Moe House (Frank Lloyd Wright); Wilburt Wynant House (Frank Lloyd Wright); Gary Heat, Light, and Water Company building--900 Madison (George Maher) just to name a few[SIZE=3].[/SIZE]

Other Gary Cultural Landmarks include:
Hotel Gary (now Genesis Apartments), City Methodist Church, Gary Post Office, Court House, Memorial Auditorium, Knights of Columbus Building, Gary Water Tower

Gary had the best park system in NWI (Marquette Park, Gateway Park, Jefferson Park, Gleason Park ect.), which attracted the wealthy elite of the Midwest.

Midtown was the cultural and economic center for Black's. It was also the center for Jazz and Blues in NWI. At the center was VeeJay records, which was the most successful Black-owned Record label prior to Motown. They helped launch a number of musician's careers including the BEETLES!! Andrew A. Means was the first black Contractor to build affordable homes for Blacks in the US!!

I can go on and on, but I think I've proven my point. This is exactly what I'm talking about. A lot of people in NWI has lost their connection with their cultural center (Gary) and allowed the city to crumble. And whatever was left was moved to Merrillville and other burbs. This is the same problem facing Detroit.

People came to Gary for the steel mills & to work not because it was a cultural mecca. That's actually worth repeating - people were drawn to Gary because of STEEL not culture.

And, for the record, during the time period you're talking about there was pretty much nothing else in NWI except pretty damn small towns connected by nothing but open farmland. Up until the 80s, standing at the corner of Rt. 30 & 41 felt like you were out in the boondocks.

[cd771]

I never heard of VU until my cousin went there. I have co workers who have never even heard of Valparaiso.

[suburban_boy]

Originally Posted by Chuckity

People came to Gary for the steel mills & to work not because it was a cultural mecca. That's actually worth repeating - people were drawn to Gary because of STEEL not culture.

And, for the record, during the time period you're talking about there was pretty much nothing else in NWI except pretty damn small towns connected by nothing but open farmland. Up until the 80s, standing at the corner of Rt. 30 & 41 felt like you were out in the boondocks.

You can say the same thing for Chicago, Milwaukee or Detroit. Most of these suburbs weren't here. A 100 years ago (or even 50) Cook, Will and lake County was 90% farmland. Yes people came to Gary to work, but people did live there too. There were still sizable populations in Hammond, East Chicago, and Whiting. Unfortunately, once these areas lost their luster, the residents moved to the suburbs and intergrated into the Chicago cultural sphere.

I'm not saying that Gary was Chicago, but Gary was definately in it's own league. Gary did benifit from being near Chicago and relied heavily on it's Laborforce. However, the city had enough pull to develop it's on institutions independent from chicago.

When the population peaked to 170,000, Gary was considered a MAJOR CITY for its time!!! That's why it was big deal in national news when Mayor Hatcher was elected. He was considered the first Black mayor of a MAJOR US CITY!!!

There was alot going on in Hammond, East Chicago and Whiting, but Gary was the cash cow for NWI. It's no coincidence that when Gary decllined, the rest of the Calumet region also declined as well. Been to Hammond or East Chi Lately?

[suburban_boy]

Originally Posted by Chuckity

People came to Gary for the steel mills & to work not because it was a cultural mecca. That's actually worth repeating - people were drawn to Gary because of STEEL not culture.

Another thing. Most people didn't start coming to Chicago for culture. Most people came for JOBS!! For the most part, jobs came first then culture.

That's acuatally worth repeating - JOBS come first then CULTURE.

Unless you are an artist or a musician, most people move to cities for JOBS!!! People moved to Detroit b/c the Auto Industry, San Fransisco for GOLD, DC for Politics, Milwaukee and St. Louis for BEER, Houston for OIL. Poeple origianally came to Chicago for FUR, the "culture" didn't come until after the Great Fire (100 years later).

When I say Gary is a "cultural center", I'm not putting it in the same category as New York, LA, Chicago, San Fransisco, Atlanta or Dallas. I can easily exchange the word culture with Industrial, Economical, Social or Political center. So even if it was STEEL that drew thousand people, that still makes it an important city b/c it's drew THOUSANDS OF POEPLE, which in return makes it an important center for something!!!

No matter how you put it, up until the Fifties, Gary was indeed the "CENTER" of NWI.