Buddy French wrote that in 1986, he was working at U. S. Steel's District Rebuilt Shop as the evening shift maintenance foreman.  In January he took his twelve-man crew on a three-month temporary assignment to work at the Gary Coal Cleaning Plant where his crew was tasked with making repairs in the plant on the midnight shift. Buddy stated that It took the whole eight-hour shift to walk through the plant twice. He would make his first round between twelve midnight and 4:00 A.M. and his second round between 4:30 A.M. and 8:00 A.M. to check on work in progress. In July 1986, U. S. Steel shut down all of its mines in Gary Hollow that had been in operation for 84 years. The Alpheus Coal Preparation plant that took up the entire narrow valley floor, was torn down in 1991.

Most of the homes in Gary No.3 or what was called Main Gary, are still there and occupied.  The No.3 big clubhouse, company store, power plant and coal tipple are gone.  The farther you go up the hollow into the adjoining Gary coal camp ccommunities, like Thorpe (No.4), Leslie (No.5), Ream (No.6), No.7, No.8 and No.9, No.10, Many of those houses ano longer remain standing.