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Israel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church

The Israel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church of Gary, Indiana was founded in 1916 by Reverend R. A. Harrison. A small frame house was used as the permanent church structure was built in 1922. For several years services were held in the basement, which was rebuilt in 1929. Finally, the auditorium was finished in 1933, completing the building.

Growth of the church remained steady, and in the mid 1960's, the sanctuary was renovated and a new Wurlitzer piano purchased.

In the early 1990's the church considered building a school, but instead decided to build a new sanctuary next to the old one. The new church was had its first service on Easter sunday, April 7th, 1996. The old building continued to be used for various purposes, though it eventually fell out of use and was vacated.

20 years of vacancy took their toll on the church. Water leaks penetrated through the northwest corner of the building, causing the wood frame to rot. Over one particular cold winter, the constant freeze-thaw cycle caused the staircase leading up to the choir loft to collapse, dumping bricks out onto the street. The southeast corner of the building collapsed a short time later. Though the building is still standing for now, it will likely be torn down as it presents a public safety hazard.