ATLANTIC CITY, a city of Atlantic county, New Jersey, U.S.A.; a famous seaside resort, on the Atlantic ocean, 55m. S.E. of Philadelphia and I tom. S.-by-W. of New York. It is served by the Pennsylvania and the Reading railways, by trolley (tram) and motor-coach lines, and in summer by steamboats and by aeroplane service. It has had an airport since 1919. The resident population was 50,707 in 5920, of whom 10,946 were negroes and 7,009 were foreign-born white ; and, according to the U.S. census of 1930 resi dents numbered 66,198 in 193o. This population is increased by visitors to 300,00o in August, and the average daily population for the year is about ioo,000. It is estimated that there are 15,000,00o visitors yearly.
The city lies on a low, sandy island (Absecon Beach), tom. long by 4m. wide, separated from the mainland by a narrow strait and 4 or 5m. of meadows, partly covered with water at high tide. In winter it is warmed by the Gulf Stream and protected by the pine belt of New Jersey, and the heat of summer is moderated by the water on all sides. The percentage of sunshine is above the average, and there is little fog. These climatic advantages, added to its accessibility, have given it a unique position as an all-the-year round playground, a resort for convalescents, and a favourite meeting-place for conventions. There are about I,000 hotels and several sanatoria. The assessed valuation of property in 1926 was $302,181,238.
The "Boardwalk," built of steel and concrete with a wooden flooring, 6oft. wide in the central section and extending 8m. along the ocean-front, is the promenade of the nation. It is connected with six great recreation piers, which reach out over the ocean I,000-2,5ooft. and on the other side is lined with sumptuous hotels, shops, restaurants, and places of diversified amusements. For those who do not wish to walk, there are 2,500 licensed wheeled chairs. Surf-bathing, horseback-riding along the beach, fishing, yachting, and wildfowl-shooting are popular amusements. There are three country clubs with good golf courses. Hydroplanes operate from the Inlet at the north of the island, carrying pas sengers for recreation. Absecon lighthouse, on the north end of the beach, is 167f t. high, and its beams can be seen for 19 miles.
There was a settlement of fishermen on the island in the latter part of the i8th century. The movement to develop it as a seaside resort for Philadelphia began about 1845, and of ter the completion of the Camden and Atlantic City railway in 1854 the growth of the city was rapid. The first pier was opened in July 1882, and was destroyed by a storm in September of the same year. The city was incorporated in 1854, and adopted a commission form of govern ment in 1912.