GARY | Standing near the intersection of 23rd Avenue and Jackson Street, Gary residents and people from around the region gathered outside Michael Jackson's childhood home to mourn the pop superstar's death and celebrate the memory of Gary native Michael Jackson.

The 50-year-old Jackson was pronounced dead at a Los Angeles hospital Thursday afternoon.

Outside the Gary residence in the afternoon heat, people snapped camera-phone pictures of the famed home and carried memorabilia. Many shared memories of Jackson's legacy and consoled those in mourning.

Gary resident Maachah Lee hugged daughter Sierra Jeffries often as they stood outside among the crowd. Though generations removed from his older performances, Sierra took the news of Jackson's death hard, Lee said.

MORE: "King of Pop" dead at the age of 50.

MORE: Follow our coverage on the death of Michael Jackson.

She said Sierra has her favorite Jackson 5 songs on her MP3 player including "I'll Be There" and "I Want You Back."

"She loves him, she's not your typical 12-year-old," Lee said.

Mayor Rudy Clay stood among the crowd shaking hands and talking to residents about Gary's native son.

"It's a sad day today," Clay said. "There's a lot of love for Michael Jackson in this town. The love has never waned."

Clay said it was too soon to talk about specific memorial plans in the city but said talks will start soon on the issue. He described Jackson as "electric" and said the last time he spoke to him was when the King of Pop returned to Roosevelt High School in 2003.

Jackson also received the key to the city from then-Gary Mayor Scott King.

"Anybody who met Michael and talked to him, they'd come away with knowing they met a humble man who had a lot of love for people," Clay said. "He was the world's greatest entertainer, and I don't bite my tongue (to say that)."

Local residents who worked with Jackson were shocked to hear news of his death.

Gordon Keith, the former head of Steeltown Records who claims to have discovered The Jackson 5, said, "I'm sad to hear about it, everything he's gone through."

He said Jackson always had been under a lot of pressure, and thinks he was mistreated by many people who were close to him throughout his life. "It makes the body and mind act unhealthy," Keith said of the pressure Jackson faced.

Valparaiso resident Scott Thompson a weapons specialist who worked with Jackson while filming the "Smooth Criminal" and "Moonwalker" videos, said, "I was choked up in the throat when I first heard."

Thompson remembered that working with Jackson always made him work his hardest. "When Michael came on set, you knew you were in the presence of greatness."

At the Jackson home, visitors placed teddy bears and paper signs on the door, hung shirts bidding Jackson farewell, or laid roses.

Gary resident Mable Moore was among the throngs of visitors who saw The Jackson 5 perform in the city before the group became internationally renowned. Holding an autographed picture of The Jackson 5 taken at least 35 years ago, Moore said she was holding the "real Michael."

"You could see it in them, they were hungry for the blessings they got," she said.

Police crews blocked vehicle traffic through Jackson Street at 24th Avenue, but motorists passing through the area got close enough for those gathered to hear Jackson songs played over the car stereo. One green sedan that drove by -- filled with passengers who looked younger than 30 -- sung The Jackson 5's song "ABC" in unison.

David Fossett, who said he's a cousin of the Jackson family, lives in the home near the intersection of 23rd Avenue and Jackson Street admitted he was surprised at the gathering outside. Fossett said a family member alerted him of Jackson's death and said he thanked people for their prayers and concerns.

"It was a very sad day for the family," Fossett said.

People asked if they could enter the home for interviews or for sight-seeing, but Fossett declined.

LaPorte County resident Susan Carter, 45, was visiting her daughter who lives on Jackson Street when she learned about Jackson's death. Carter, who said she grew up on Jackson's music, said his death is a reminder that life is short and it can be taken away at any minute. Carter brought her two daughters and three young grandchildren out to the home because she wanted to pay her respects to the family.

Fifty-four-year-old Andre Cheairs, of Gary, said he was shocked by the news of the day.

"He was the youngest in the family (band). You'd expect he'd be the last to leave," said Cheairs, who said he graduated from a Gary school with Jermaine Jackson in 1973.

Cheairs said he went to Mr. Lucky's Lounge years ago to see the talented Jackson family perform.

"They were the baddest entertainers in the world," Cheairs said. "The cat will be missed, not just in Gary, but all over the world."

Times staff writer Chas Reilly contributed to this report.