20 displays in Gary park tell U.S. Steel history

Twenty large displays now line the walkways of Gateway Park in Gary, Indiana. The installation, titled “Our Mill Our Home: Gary’s Past, Present & Future,” opened to the public on October 24. It documents the personal histories of individuals tied to the U.S. Steel plant that has defined the city for a century.

The project centers on the lives of steelworkers, activists, and longtime residents. Tyrell Anderson, a third-generation U.S. Steel employee, described the exhibit as a celebration of local history. He said the displays uplift the community and inspire a vision for the future. Anderson, who has worked at the plant for 16 years, grew up watching the flare lights from his childhood home at 3rd and Jefferson Streets.

Harold Robinson, a storyteller involved in the project, shared the mixed legacy of the industry. He honored the men and women who worked at U.S. Steel to support their families. However, Robinson noted that the work often came at a physical cost to his own family. “I’ve actually had some uncles, great uncles that actually died from cancer and black lung back in the day,” Robinson said. He asked how the industry can become a safer and greener environment for residents.

Susan Cotton, who retired from U.S. Steel after 25 years of service, emphasized the social bonds formed on the job. She described the workers as family members who watched each other thrive over the decades. “This is our home. This is our family. This is our city,” Cotton said. She expressed pride in seeing the city rebuild and residents feeling a renewed sense of identity with Gary.

Anderson, who founded the preservation group Decay Devils, organized the exhibit with several partners. The collaborating groups include Just Transition Northwest Indiana, Industrious Labs, Gary Advocates for Responsible Development, Mighty Earth, Indiana Conservation Voters, and Faith in Place. The project aims to preserve the cultural memory of the steel industry while looking toward the next chapter for the region.

The exhibit is located at Gateway Park, which sits at 4th Avenue and Broadway. The park is directly adjacent to the entrance of the U.S. Steel facility. The installation remains open to the public indefinitely, allowing visitors to view the portraits and read the accompanying narratives at their own pace.