On a more wholesome front, the Miss America pageant is born. Atlantic City develops a carnivalesque atmosphere and becomes a capital of illicit thrills. * 1920s: Prohibition ushers in a boom era of speakeasies, backroom gambling, and organized crime. It will eventually become one of the most famous walkways in the country. * 1870: A boardwalk is installed to help keep sand out of hotel lobbies. Developers can’t resist the city’s waterfront location and nearness to Manhattan.

1853: Atlantic City’s first commercial hotel, the Belloe House, opens.