A New Way to Discover Stories from Miller Beach and Greater Gary
Visit Miller Beach Gary Launches a New Blog
Visit Miller Beach Gary now has a blog! This is our first post, and we're excited to have a new way to connect with you.
This blog is supported by a Community Voices Grant from Legacy Foundation's Press Forward Lake County initiative, which is part of the national Press Forward Locals, a coalition of 44 nationwide chapters working to revitalize local news.
The Legacy Foundation’s Community Voices Grant supports grassroots, community-driven projects that help residents access, share, and engage with trusted local information, especially through nontraditional and community-rooted approaches. We're honored to be part of an effort that recognizes strong local storytelling doesn't only come from traditional newsrooms — it also comes from neighbors sharing what matters in their own community. We're grateful for their support.
Why a Blog?
Our city is full of stories, updates, and information that doesn’t always have a home. Between local history, small businesses and the arts, we found ourselves wanting a space to share more than we could fit into a single web page or social post. This blog is that space.
It's also part of something bigger we're working toward: expanding Visit Miller Beach to introduce visitors to more places in Gary. Gary has rich history and many famous residents have made significant contributions in industry, science, education and the arts. This blog is one of the ways we'll start sharing these stories.
What You Can Expect
We'll be publishing regularly across these areas:
The Art Scene in Gary — Galleries, public art and venues, plus resident visual and performing artists
Gary History — the people, places, and moments that shaped our city
Environment & Sustainability — the conservation efforts, sustainability initiatives, and natural conditions shaping our lakefront, dunes, and air and water quality
Outdoor Recreation — Trails, beaches, and places to play, hike, or bike in Gary
Architectural History — the history of buildings and renewal efforts that shaped Gary's built environment
Natural History of the Indiana Dunes — ecology, geology and educational stories about the area's most unique landscapes
Local Nonprofits — spotlighting the organizations doing meaningful work and how it helps our community
Small Business Features — getting to know the shops, restaurants, and local spots that make Miller Beach and Greater Gary special to visit (some submitted directly by business owners and labeled as such)
About Us
Visit Miller Beach Gary started in 2017 because we felt Gary was getting a lot of negative press, while the beauty of the city — and the people who make it special — wasn't being recognized.
The site has since received modest local grant funding, which covers costs like advertising to promote tourism in Gary, along with small stipends for the people who help update the site, create ads, and manage photography. Guest writers who contribute stories are not paid for their work.
We're residents and local business owners — a small, community-driven effort, not a funded newsroom or a city-wide tourism board. Gary is a big city with a lot to offer, and we want to expand our coverage beyond Miller Beach, but as a volunteer team, we don’t have the capacity to cover all 54 square miles. If there's a story you think deserves attention, let us know.
Join Us as a Contributor
This blog is meant to reflect the whole community, and that means it shouldn't just be our voice. If you have a story to write on one of the topics above, we'd love to have you contribute.
Because we're neighbors, not a formal editorial staff, we're looking for fact-based writing within the topics above, with limited opinion pieces or promotional content. We'll do our best to work with contributors on edits, but we can't guarantee every article will be published, and it may take us some time to get back to you.
If you're interested in contributing as a guest writer, email us at info@visitmillerbeachgary.com with "Guest Writer" in the subject line.
If you are interested in supporting this blog with a donation, every amount matters! Click here to Donate.
