City Hall, Atlantic City
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Atlantic City was incorporated on May 1, 1854 from portions of Egg Harbor Township and Galloway Township.
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
In 1853, The Belloe House was built at Massachusetts and Atlantic Avenue. It was the first commercial hotel built in Atlantic City. After the Camden and Atlantic Railroad train service began it brought many people to Atlantic City. Eventually one railroad couldn't keep up with the growing popularity of the city and the Philadelphia and Atlantic City Railway was built in 1878. Since Atlantic City was growing rapidly many new and large hotels were constructed in the early part of the 20th century. The Marlborough-Blenhein Hotel and the Traymore Hotel were the first two major Hotels. Later came the Ritz Carlton, Madison House and Shelburne just to name a few.
In the 1920s, during the Prohibition Era, tourism was at its peak in Atlantic City. This is often times known as the Golden Age of Atlantic City by many historians. During this time, racketeer and political boss Enoch L. "Nucky" Johnson rose to power. He allowed for illegal liquor sales, gambling and prostitution to take place in Atlantic City, getting a cut from the liquor sales. It is Nucky Johnson that HBO got the idea for it's hit series Boardwalk Empire which fantasizes the idea of Johnson being a sort of gangster in Atlantic City. Although in the HBO series Nucky Johnson's name is changed to Nucky Thompson.
The Atlantic City Boardwalk was the first boardwalk in the United States which opened on June 26, 1870. It is Atlantic City that the famous board game Monopoly is modeled after. The Boardwalk starts at Absecon Inlet in the north and runs along the beach south west to the city limits and then continues another mile and a half into Ventnor City. In October 2012, Hurricane Sandy destroyed the northern part of the boardwalk but the oceanfront in front of the Atlantic City Casinos was undamaged by the storm.
In the 1920s, during the Prohibition Era, tourism was at its peak in Atlantic City. This is often times known as the Golden Age of Atlantic City by many historians. During this time, racketeer and political boss Enoch L. "Nucky" Johnson rose to power. He allowed for illegal liquor sales, gambling and prostitution to take place in Atlantic City, getting a cut from the liquor sales. It is Nucky Johnson that HBO got the idea for it's hit series Boardwalk Empire which fantasizes the idea of Johnson being a sort of gangster in Atlantic City. Although in the HBO series Nucky Johnson's name is changed to Nucky Thompson.
The Atlantic City Boardwalk was the first boardwalk in the United States which opened on June 26, 1870. It is Atlantic City that the famous board game Monopoly is modeled after. The Boardwalk starts at Absecon Inlet in the north and runs along the beach south west to the city limits and then continues another mile and a half into Ventnor City. In October 2012, Hurricane Sandy destroyed the northern part of the boardwalk but the oceanfront in front of the Atlantic City Casinos was undamaged by the storm.
Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_City,_New_Jersey
http://www.visitnj.org/atlantic-city