Atlantic City, New Jersey is located on the shore of the North Atlantic Ocean. Famous for the handmade salt water taffy, and the Boardwalk that is lined with more than four miles of museums, casinos, shops and all types of restaurants. Open 24 hours-a-day, this ocean side resort and gambling destination first became popular in the 1880s, after the railroad and other modes of transportation were made available to the masses. The influx of world famous musicians, celebrities and movie stars helped to make Atlantic City the number one vacation spot in the United States during the late 1880s and early 1900s.http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/family-vacations-atlantic-city-boardwalk.htm

From the 1950s to the mid 1970s, Atlantic City suffered because of the rapid decline in tourists, coupled with social and economic problems throughout. There were less than one million visitors to the shore in 1974, that number had risen to more than 30 million by 1988. Atlantic City made a comeback by offering a new way for people to have fun. Gambling was legalized and this helped to lure the tourists and vacationers back to the boardwalk and the City. The first casino, Resorts International, opened in 1978.http://www.acfpl.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=22&Itemid=784

In 2004, after years of economic ups and downs, Atlantic City turned 150 years old. This celebration help to mark the years of change and struggle that help to make it the city we see today. Each year, millions of visitors still amble along the boardwalk enjoying the sights, sounds and tastes that are unique to Atlantic City.http://www.acfpl.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=22&Itemid=784

The Lenni Lenape Indians were the first people to use Atlantic City as a Summer retreat. Decades before the Boardwalk, casinos and gambling became synonymous with Atlantic City, these tribes with the Algonquian dialect, came here to escape the heat and to enjoy the ocean-side beaches for a few months each year. Other early settlers did not develop the land because of its location, at the time, it was accessible only by boat.

Jeremiah Leeds was the first official Atlantic City homeowner. He erected the first permanent residence in 1783. For the next few decades, the vacationers and other home builders ignored the prime real estate and developed nearby town and cities. In 1850, developers and investors began to notice the potential of the secluded beach front land. They started by making the area more accessible. Dr. Johnathan Pitney and a group of businessmen invested more than $1.2 million to construct a rail line, that was completed in 1854.http://www.acfpl.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=22&Itemid=784

This made the entire coast convenient to travelers and vacationers. From the 1880s until the 1940s, Atlantic City was the number one resort and vacation destination on the East Coast. Club Harlem, on Kentucky Avenue attracted the celebrities as well as some of the most talented jazz artists of the day. As the 1950s approached, there were other vacation options for the travelers and the popularity of Atlantic City began to shift. Florida, Jamaica and other tropical island resorts became available, thanks to air travel.http://www.acfpl.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=22&Itemid=784

In 1976 gambling was legalized and by 1988, more than a dozen casinos were entertaining the 33 million visitors and vacationers who flocked to the revitalized New Jersey shore.http://www.acfpl.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=22&Itemid=784

Atlantic City is convenient to New York and other Metropolitan areas. This has helped to make it a successful gambling destination. Tour buses bring people into the city throughout the day and night. The entire area of Atlantic City is 17.4 miles, consisting of 11.4 square miles of land located 100 miles South of New York City, 60 miles Southeast of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 39°21′54″N 74°26′21″Whttp://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Northeast/Atlantic-City-Geography-and-Climate.htmlhttp://www.city-data.com/city/Atlantic-City-New-Jersey.html