Look inside
Take a sneak peek at Boardwalk Playground by looking at one of these three chapters:
From Rise, Fall, Rise, Fall: Free and Easy (pdf)
From Classic Hospitality: Boardwalk Heavyweight (pdf)
From Casino Capital of the East: Boardwalk Bunny (pdf)
Note: These are uncorrected page proofs and may contain errors. That’s the price of a sneak peek.
All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce or distribute without express written consent.
Contents
Acknowledgements ix
Table of Contents (pdf)
Introduction 1
One: Rise, Fall, Rise, Fall
The Doctor’s Dream 9
Queen of the Coast 15
The Great Fire of 1902 18
Golden Jubilee 21
High Flyers 24
A Civil Reunion 27
The Great War and the Shore 30
A Roaring Empire 32
Betting the Ponies 35
Speaking Easy 38
Nucky’s Alley 41
Old Creepy Checks In 43
The First Slowdown 46
Dimouts and Camp Boardwalk 50
A Mighty Storm 53
Gambling Takes a Dive 56
Things Fall Apart 59
Storm of the Century 63
Convention Controversy 66
The First Shot 69
One More Time 72
Jersey Hustle 75
Second Life 78
Ebb Tide 81
Two: Classic Hospitality
First in Line 91
The Survivor 94
Lord of the Boards 97
The Wooden Way 100
Home of the Punch 103
A Central Attraction 109
Showplace of the Nation 112
Pier Pressure 115
The Concrete Palace 117
Garden Spot 120
A Good Dining Deed 123
Million Dollar Address 126
The World’s Meeting Place 129
Organic History 132
Seaside Skyscraper 135
Kentucky and the Curb 138
At the Five 141
Eat Where They Are Caught 144
Diamond Dining 146
In the Neighborhood 148
Three: Personalities
First Family 159
Making History 162
The Dandy Mayor 165
Field of Dreams 168
Time Keeper 171
“Pop” Quiz 174
The Star Maker 177
City Painter 180
The Boardwalk Emperor 183
Political Juggernaut 186
Four: The Community
Lighting the Way 195
The Sweetest Storm 197
Dream of a Million Girls 199
Rolling Merrily Along 202
Trolleying Around 205
An Atlantic City Original 207
Curtain Up! 209
Honor Guard 211
The Easter Parade 214
I’ll Remember April 217
Starting the Season 220
‘Twas the Season 223
Spreading Enlightenment 226
The City’s Hospital 229
Pride of the Vikings 231
Fire Pirates 234
Watching the Waves 236
Ocean Marathon 238
Hitting the Boards 240
The Sport of Kings 243
Flight Path 246
Hap’s Highway 248
From the Heart 251
A Popular Pachyderm 254
The City of Ventnor City 257
Five: Casino Capital of the East
A Resort Reborn 273
Hail, Caesar 277
Landing on Park Place 280
Sand Blasted 283
Better People Place 286
Touch of Gold 289
Boardwalk Bunny 294
Smaller and Friendlier 297
Tropical Retreat 301
Trump’s Tower 307
By the Bay 311
Showboating by the Sea 314
The Crown Jewel 317
Happy Place 320
Revel’s False Dawn 323
Roads Not Taken 326
Another Ebb Tide 330
Coming Back Again 333
Note on Sources 336
Bibliography 338
Index 340