In 1926 the 45th Avenue School of Gary, Indiana was officially named Lew Wallace High School named after Lew Wallace. Wallace was a native to Indiana who served as a United States General during the American Civil War, as the Governor of the New Mexico Territory, the Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, and as the author of Ben Hur. The "A and B wings" of Lew Wallace were constructed in 1933. The campus was renovated as recently as 1972, an addition that included the Richard Polk Gymnasium.
During a period of time, the school served K-12 students. The school offered community recreation programs on weekends.[1]
As of 2014, the school was formally known as Lew Wallace Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) Academy.[2]
Athletic programs included baseball, basketball, football, and track.[3]
On Tuesday, June 3, 2014, the Gary School Board voted 4–2 to close Lew Wallace, along with 5 other schools.[4] The building was reported to need $2.8 million of repairs.[5] As of 2015, one year after closure, the building was reported to be in worsening condition.[6] Between November 2021 and April 2022, the school was demolished.[7]
