Atlantic City is a city on the beaches of New Jersey. It has gone through many iterations, but it is probably most notorious for its time during the 1920s where it was a bustling hub of gambling, gangsters, and drinking.
During Prohibition, Atlantic City became a place with an open secret. A steady stream of alcohol was smuggled into the city and served in secret bars or secret rooms at the hotels along the boardwalk.
This invited in a host of somewhat seedy business practices. A name commonly associated with this period in Atlantic City history is Enoch “Nucky” Thompson. Many have probably heard this name because of the wildly popular show about this era, Boardwalk Empire.
With the popular boardwalk, access to alcohol, and entertainment on every corner, Atlantic City became a popular tourist and vacation destination. Let’s take a look at the glitz and glamour that was Atlantic City in the 1920s.
The notorious Hotel Danmor which housed many criminals who flocked to Atlantic City.The beach with the iconic boardwalk in the background. Atlantic City was a hotspot for Prohibition-era smuggling.Meyer Lansky, Al Capone and Enoch Johnson and others stroll the Boardwalk during the infamous gangster convention held in Atlantic City, May 1929.The Steel Pier was a popular hang outAn early work morning on the pier.A fashionable couple arrives on the boardwalk.An Atlantic City beauty pageant.Beach goers strike a poseThe iconic boardwalk on a quiet nightAn Atlantic City entourageA popular place for strolling, shopping, and other legal or not-so-legal activitiesFamilies enjoy a vacation day at the boardwalk and beach. The crowded surfHaddon Hall and Boardwalk, Atlantic CityAtlantic City, New Jersey BoardwalkThe crowded beach in the 1920s The Steel Pier billed itself as “The Showplace of the Nation” and was one of the largest and most famous attractions in Atlantic City.The Jersey Shore circa 1920. Atlantic City Boardwalk and New Garden Pier.Steel Pier, Atlantic CityEnoch L. ‘Nucky’ Johnson ran Atlantic City during the ’20s and ’30s.Miss Atlantic City, 1925A crowded weekend at the boardwalk. Beach goers play in the surf.There was also a racetrack at the boardwalk that attracted a lot of tourists. A parade going down the boardwalkEnoch L. ‘Nucky’ Johnson and his wife cut a cakeAtlantic City Boardwalk in 1923 on Palm SundayMore than 500,000 people crowded the boardwalk in 1923 to witness the Bathers Revue, comprised of more than 1000 bathing beauties and over a score of bands
