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P E N D S O M E T I M E I N A T L A N T I C C I T Y A M I D I T S F L A S H Y C A S I N O S , the fine r esta u r ants , and the rolling beaches and Boardwalk, and you can’t help but marvel at how far the resort has come. But every step you take is still gently haunted by all that has been here before. Atlantic City wears its history like a comfortable old coat — tattered, but comfortable. From its days as a “health” resort in the 19th century, to its naughty and haughty days of irreverence during Prohibition (highlighted in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire) to its eventual decline and then rebirth as an East Coast gambling mecca, Atlantic City and the region has been attracting visitors since its inception. In this issue, our first “Then & Now” issue, we look at Atlantic City’s long journey to get to this point in time. We look at a resort thriving and alive, from its driving nightclubs to its packed showrooms. And we look at its ghosts, from bosses like “Nucky” Johnson to the crowds at Captain Starn’s and Grace’s Little Belmont. As Atlantic City braces for a challenging future, the Queen of Resorts brings those ghosts and some of that past magic along for the ride. It’s a magic that never really leaves. Then photo couresy of Library of congress, image & now photo by kevin mccarty
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