Atlantic City Facts
Fact 1: Atlantic City had its beginnings in 1854 when Dr. Jonathan Pitney (and other speculators) had the vision of turning Absecon Island into a premier seaside resort for the rich and famous. Although it fell short of that lofty goal, Atlantic City did, in its early years, become the leading vacation spot in the country, reaching its peak in the early 1900's.
Fact 2: In the mid-1900's, Atlantic City's fortunes took a turn for the worse. Tourism was on the wane and the city was desperate to resurrect its former glory. In an effort to turn the tide, a vote was held in 1976 to legalize gambling and thereby attract more outside dollars. The vote, of course, passed and Atlantic City has been a center for gambling ever since.
Fact 3: Over the course of its rollercoaster history, Atlantic City has garnered several nicknames and pseudonyms. At various times the town has been referred to as Little Vegas, City By The Sea, the Queen of Resorts, the Seaside Vegas, and Casino City.
Fact 4: Atlantic City has always possessed a dubious blend of glitz and kitsch. It seems somehow appropriate that it is distinguished as being the site of the first Miss America Pageant in 1921. The city continued to host the event through 2005, and the pageant headquarters remain here.
Fact 5: Leave it to Atlantic City to have the world's largest man-made elephant. Lucy, as she's come to be known, is made of steel, stands 65-feet high and weighs a gargantuan 90 tons. Built in 1881 (and later restored by the Save Lucy Committee), the hulking pachyderm is a National Historic Landmark and resides at nearby Margate Beach.
Fact 6: One of the most famous attractions in Atlantic City is Donald Trump's massive Taj Mahal. Easily one of the world's biggest and tackiest casinos (which is saying a lot), the Taj Mahal is decked out with ornate Oriental trappings, cascading fountains and jeweled ceilings. The casino – which spans across 145,000 square feet – is 51 stories high and is said to contain upwards of 3,000 slot machines and 200 gaming tables.
Fact 7: Claim to fame! The famous board game, Monopoly, which was introduced by Parker Brothers in 1935, is based on Atlantic City's Boardwalk real estate property. Incidentally, the only property on the game not in Atlantic City is Marvin Gardens.
Fact 8: Atlantic City is known for it's bustling Boardwalk. It was originally built in 1870 to keep the sand off ladies' shoes. (Evidently they had been inadvertently tracking the sand into area businesses.) Today, the Boardwalk is replete with shops, fortune-tellers, T-shirt stands and a diverse cross-section of strollers and sightseers.
Fact 9: According to Absecon Island lore, the term Saltwater Taffy was first coined in Atlantic City. Allegedly, a huge storm in the summer of 1883 caused the tide to rise so high that it soaked the candy store of David Bradley. When he discovered the calamity, he is said to have made a reference to "saltwater taffy." True or not, the story has persisted to this day.
Fact 10: If you want to escape the casinos for a bit, venture over to the Old Absecon Lighthouse – one of 19 New Jersey lighthouses. Although it's off the boardwalk in a neglected part of town, it's still worth a visit. Built by General George Gordon Meade in 1857, the 169-foot Lighthouse was in service until 1933. Now it's open to the public and serves as a small museum.
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