Autopsy of Architecture

Stories Behind the Nation's Historic Buildings & Structures

Tag: U.S. Steel

The Gary-Alerding Settlement House

Photo © 2020 David Bulit, Gary-Alerding Settlement House - Gary, Indiana

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, many workers including those in the steel industry faced unsafe working conditions, long hours, and low wages. Unions were organized to address these issues but they were hardly successful in improving workers’ conditions. The situation improved briefly during World War I as companies were concerned with strikes

Mahencha Apartments

Photo © 2019 David Bulit, The Mahencha Apartments - Gary, Indiana

Although it’s referred to as the Mahencia Apartments by the city of Gary, the four-story Mahencha Apartments was constructed in 1928 right across from Horace Mann High School. Built with red brick and stone trimmings, the U-shaped apartment building featured a courtyard in the rear and was designed in a combination of architectural styles, most