Gary Bathing Beach Aquatorium

By Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology

Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, the Gary Bathing Beach Aquatorium is an architectural blend of the Neoclassical and Prairie styles. This two-story, cast concrete and reinforced steel building was designed by Chicago architect George Maher in 1921. The land and the building were donated to the citizens of Gary by U.S. Steel Corporation. This was a time when people were starting to realize the health benefits of outdoor recreation and there was no better place to be than the gleaming white sand dunes and sparkling blue waters of Lake Michigan. The building contained bathing suit rentals, changing areas, showers, restrooms and a second floor viewing gallery. The Aquatorium was used until the 1970s when it was boarded up and closed to the public. In 1992 the Chanute Aquatorium Society formed to restore the building.

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Map

6918 Oak Ave, Gary, IN 46403

Official Website

http://www.aquatorium.org/

Cite this Page

Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology, “Gary Bathing Beach Aquatorium,” Discover Indiana, accessed July 5, 2024, https://discoverindianahistory.org/items/show/199.

Subjects

Published on Dec 20, 2017. Last updated on Apr 2, 2019.