Yearly Return Brings Back Fond Memories
Many traditions are maintained, especially around the holidays. For me, Thanksgiving means a return to my New Jersey roots. I remember back to the mid-1960s when I helped establish the "Jerseymen's Club" at Junior High School. During my teen years, long before Atlantic City became a gambler's mecca, I was proud of the history and culture that surrounded the city, incorporated in 1852 when the Camden & Atlantic Railroad laid the first tracks across the state. There were many other firsts that occurred in Atlantic City:
World's first Boardwalk -- opened in 1870.
Steel Pier, the world's premier amusement pier -- opened in 1898.
Salt Water Taffy -- Originated in 1883 on the Boardwalk after a storm flooded a candy store.
Postcards. The first-ever picture postcards were color views of Atlantic City.
Rolling Chairs debuted in 1887. The chairs are now a permanent attraction for visitors and an excellent way to travel the Boardwalk.
Monopoly. If the street names sound familiar and you've never been to Atlantic City, it's because the game of Monopoly was developed by Charles Darrow in 1929 using the city's streets. It went on to become the most popular board game ever. Who wouldn't want to own a hotel on Boardwalk?
"Airport." The word was first used in Atlantic City in reference to the city's flying field.
Miss America. The pageant made Atlantic City its home for over 80 years. The first Miss America was crowned in 1921.
Mr. Peanut. The most successful commercial icon and unofficial ambassador of the city -- celebrating Atlantic City's historically affluent lifestyle.
Walking the boardwalks today, it's hard to believe that Atlantic City once epitomized America's wealth and dominance among the world's economies. The grand hotels and resorts, the stylish men and women who strolled the Boardwalk, have been replaced by casually-dressed tourists (many daytrippers) who are drawn to the City's casinos and entertainment centers. "High Tea," once the hallmark of the elite, has been replaced with copious buffets that promise to bust any diet and add excess pounds to an already overly obese America. We did, however, find a wonderful take-out restaurant: Piazza di Giorgio. Located at The Pier on the Boardwalk (across from Caesar's), Giorgio's has a healthy selection of low-fat, low calorie salads and delicious entrées, such as chicken kebobs, lamb, beef, salmon and other fish, and delicious wraps. A complete meal from Giorgio's comes with two sides and either a tossed green salad or a Caesar's salad. Priced at about half what a buffet would cost, we were able to take dinner back to our timeshare unit and save countless hundreds of calories!
The question arises whether the 29-year experiment with casinos has been a success for Atlantic City. There was a promise made back in 1978 that the casinos would revitalize the city, which was in decline and in dire need of urban renewal. Nearly 30 years later, the same problems are still there; the poverty of the surrounding area is staggering when you consider the wealth being funneled into the casinos' coffers. In light of the proliferation of casinos in the neighboring states of Pennsylvania, Delaware and Connecticut, Atlantic City's command of revenue from gambling grows more precarious as its share in the action diminishes. There has been a decided effort to upgrade the clientele in Atlantic City by offering posh shops and boutiques and cutting back on the comps that attract daytrippers to the casinos. Free lodging and food credits that once attracted low-rollers (such as myself) have been drastically cut back or terminated. The message is clear: the casinos are hurting and visitors can no longer expect a free lunch.
The Jewel of the Boardwalk
One aspect of the Boardwalk that was a complete surprise to me was the refurbishing of the old Atlantic City Convention Center, now renamed Boardwalk Hall. The arena is now used for concerts, sporting events and conventions. We were able to get good tickets for Fashion On Ice, which featured the skating of Sasha Cohen and other Olympic athletes, and the singing of Sarah Brightman. The stars wore the fashions of John and Victoria Bartlett, Heatherette, and Tracy Reese. The show was taped for January airing on WNBC. The Hall maintains the original Art Deco architechture, but the upgraded concession stands and seats are a welcome addition. Boardwalk Hall gives some hope that Atlantic City has the potential of again becoming a mega resort, without relying solely on casinos.
Another jewel that has been completely overlooked by the media is the Atlantic City Historical Museum, located uptown on the Garden Pier. We "discovered" the museum while walking the full extent of the Boardwalk. The Sunday afternoon we visited the Museum, we were the sole tourists. The 30-minute video tape that runs continuously contains footage of the heyday of Atlantic City and should not be missed! Free to the public, I am truly amazed how such a wonderful place is overlooked in most brochures and tourist magazines. On display throughout the Museum are newspaper articles showing the historical beginnings of Atlantic City, and includes tons of photos and collectible artifacts from the many hotels and resorts that spaned the Boardwalk. As a New Jersey native, I am proud of this "Golden Era" when Atlantic City was truly "America's Playground."
Here She Comes...Miss America?
On Monday afternoon, we attended a rally held by Sex Workers Outreach Project USA to commemorate the brutal slaying of four Atlantic City prostitutes a year ago. In May of this year, just blocks from where the bodies of the four women were found, two other female sex workers were violently murdered and a third was assaulted. Those cases are still unsolved. This violence against persons in the sex industry is unconscionable, yet it persists because our society has often turned a blind eye to individuals who are marginalized and stigmatized by criminal laws and social discourse. That the bodies of women were dumped in a swampy ravine along Route 40 in a town called Pleasantville makes the crime seem even more heinous.
The Sex Workers Project is encouraged by the work of the New Jersey state and local police, the F.B.I., and the Atlantic County Prosecutor, as well as other officials who are pursuing this case. The swift establishment of a Task Force to investigate these horrific murders is commendable. It has been deeply troubling that violence against sex workers in the past has not been met with rigorous concern and is often viewed as a “hazard of the trade,” but it appears that authorities are working hard to find the killer(s) and to end the campaign of fear against vulnerable women in Atlantic City.
To commemorate the lives of workers who have been subject to violence, the Sex Workers Outreach Project USA (SWOP-USA) began the annual Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers in 2003. The day is marked by vigils worldwide. Created in December 2001, the Sex Workers Project is the first program in the country to focus on the provision of legal services, legal training, documentation, and policy advocacy for sex workers. Using a harm reduction and human rights model, the SWP protects the rights and safety of sex workers who by choice, circumstance, or coercion remain in the industry.
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