"A poster child for our nation's urban experimentation a century ago, Gary was forged with hype and hope, dreams and sweat, political agendas and tons of steel. The hardscrabble city attracted all kinds, from shady scoundrels and famous architects to hardworking immigrants and brilliant entrepreneurs. Boasting 180,00 residents at its peak, the booming melting pot eventually faded away under the afflictions of urban decay, racial unrest and political...

In blue-collar industrial Gary, Indiana, downtown was the social, cultural, and political center of the community. From the 1920s through the 1960s, people flocked to the stores, theaters and restaurants. The Trafnys provide a glimpse not only of the stores of yesteryear but also the politics, churches, schools, and of course, United States Steel Corporation and the millrats. -- adapted from back cover.