One Indiana City Called Out for Its Bad Reputation

One Indiana City Called Out for Its Bad Reputation

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One Indiana city can't outrun its bad reputation no matter how hard it tries.

Indiana towns are really a hot topic lately. When it comes to Indiana, we have no shortage of small towns with a few big cities scattered in there too. Recently we have covered many of these towns in articles such as the worst small towns in Indiana, an Indiana small town that makes you feel like you are in a Hallmark movie, the best must-visit small town in Indiana, the best small town in Indiana, HGTV naming this Indiana town as the most charming in the state, and the most expensive place to live in Indiana.

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Now, let's talk about the Indiana city with the worst reputation. Many things can lead to a city having a bad reputation. These things include:

  • Unemployment
  • Crime
  • Drugs
  • Education

Sometimes all four at the same time can be part of the reason why a city has a bad reputation. Some cities with bad reputation might be inclined to have this song as their "anthem."

Recently, Travel.Alot.com listed the 45 US Cities With the Worst Reputations. They used statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Census, and the FBI to come to their conclusions. As it turns out, there was only one Indiana city that made this list, and I bet you can guess which one it is.

One Indiana City Called Out for Its Bad Reputation

Which city made the list? If you guessed Gary, you would be correct. A lot has changed with the city of Gary, Indiana since it was once praised in the classic musical "The Music Man."

Here's what Travel.Alot.com had to say about Gary's bad reputation:

<p>Like many other Rust Belt cities, Gary has lost population as national trends see people moving further South and West. This isn't a recent phenomenon, however.</p><p>Gary has continuously lost population since the 1960s, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. It's down 57% from its peak. This is one town whose days are numbered. </p>

We all have heard some not-so-pleasant things about Gary over the years, so I am not surprised by these findings. The question here is what can be done to fix the city's reputation and turn things around for the better?

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A majority of these towns were given their names in the mid-to-late 1800s as settlers making their way across the country found unclaimed plots of land and decided to make them their own. While I imagine they thought the names they came up with were innocent, and perhaps a tribute to something in their lives, pop culture has warped our minds to the point since then that we can't help but think of something about the town that was never intended by its founders. Take a look at this list. I guarantee there's at least one name that will make you chuckle.

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KEEP READING: 40 Real Indiana Towns with Quirky, Weird, and Funny Names

Outside the major cities, the Hoosier state is full of tiny little towns you've probably passed through on your way to one of those cities. Most of them are likely 100 to 150 years old, or older, and have been around far longer than the large metropolitan areas such as Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, South Bend, and Evansville. Typically, they were started by early settlers who found their way to the state and decided to make it home. Eventually, others would join them, and a community was formed. Over time, as the surrounding areas grew, most of them were folded into those areas and governed by the nearest city or county's governing body officially making them "unincorporated," meaning they did not have their own formally organized municipal government.

A scroll through Wikipedia's long list of unincorporated communities in Indiana shows several of them have names that by today's standards would be considered weird, quirky, or just downright right funny. These are my 40 favorities.
Categories: Videos, Weird News, News, What's New, Indiana News, Indiana Travel, Indiana People

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