Atlantic City’s Boardwalk marked its 156th anniversary this summer. The milestone shows that the city’s casino activity and tourism still revolve around the beachfront corridor.
The first section opened on June 26, 1870. This oldest and longest boardwalk in America stretches more than 5 miles. Boardwalk began as a practical solution for hotel owners and has since become the centerpiece for souvenir shops, restaurants, hotels, and casinos.
Hotel owners built the original Boardwalk to keep sand out of railroad cars and hotel lobbies. Heather Perez, an Atlantic County historian, said visitors in long Victorian gowns were tracking sand indoors. That created a persistent cleanup problem.
