Atlantic City through the years

Atlantic City has been a resort destination since the 1850s, with its famous boardwalk being built in 1870. It has been a hub since then because of its location by the ocean, the Miss America Pageant, and later, gambling. The railroad that went directly from Philadelphia to AC helped the burgeoning city grow as a tourist destination and the building of the Atlantic City Expressway furthered that growth. Take a look at some of these vintage pictures and relive AC’s glory.

Beach goers in Atlantic City circa 1985

Political boss Nucky Johnson, the inspiration for the HBO series, Boardwalk Empire

The AC Boardwalk in 1935

Sailors on leave in 1945

The Steel Pier in 1947

Miss America parade of 1953

The 1959 Miss America pageant

The Marlborough Hotel

Miss America, 1955

A segregation protest in 1960

Seascape with distant lighthouse

Atlantic City boardwalk circa 2016

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