Gary Bathing Beach Pavilion

Historic photos from the collection of the Calumet Regional Archives.
Contemporary photos by Kevin Brown of The George W. Maher Society.

Gary Bathing Beach Pavilion
6918 Oak Ave, Gary, IN 46403
Built in 1921

Designed by George & Philip Maher, the Gary Bathing Beach Aquatorium – originally known as the Lakefront Park Bathhouse, was designed by George W. Maher & Son, and constructed in 1921. Predominantly Prairie in design with Classical Revival elements, the building is architecturally significant as one of the earliest examples of pre-cast concrete modular construction. The vast majority off the building is built with only six basic cast blocks, the most basic being the T-Block, a precursor of today’s standard concrete block.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 25, 1994, the Aquatorium was renovated as part of the overall 2012 park improvements. Today, the Aquatorium is home to a flight museum, two landscaped courtyards, conference facilities, and a second floor viewing terrace offering views of Marquette Beach.

The Aquatorium hosts special events throughout the year and is operated by the Octave Chanute Aquatorium Society. The City of Gary entered into a 50-year lease with the Society in 1993 to maintain and improve the facility and oversee its uses. For more information about the Aquatorium, or facility rental, visit the Society’s website.