Atlantic City

Sister cities

• Cabourg

History

Prior to Atlantic City's founding, the region served as a summer home for the Lenape, a Native American tribe. While the date of European settlement in present-day Atlantic City is not precisely determined, it is commonly thought that it was in 1783, when Jeremiah Leeds built and occupied a year-round home there. In 1850, present-day Atlantic City was developed into a resort town. Three years later, in early 1853, it was named Atlantic City. Because of its location in South Jersey, which hugs the Atlantic Ocean between marshlands and islands, Atlantic City was then viewed by developers as prime real estate and a potential resort town. In 1853, the city's first commercial hotel, the Belloe House, was built at the intersection of Massachusetts and Atlantic Avenues. The following year, in 1854, the city was incorporated. The same year, train service began on the Camden and Atlantic Railroad. Built on the edge of the bay, this served as the direct link of this remote parcel of land with Philadelphia, the second-most populous city in the United States at the time and the largest city in Pennsylvania. The same year, construction of the Absecon Lighthouse, designed by George Meade of the Corps of Topographical Engineers, was approved, with work initiated the next year. By 1874, almost 500,000 passengers a year were coming to Atlantic City by rail. In Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City, "Atlantic City's Godfather" Jonathan Pitney, known as the "Father of Atlantic City", initially sought to develop Atlantic City as a health resort. Pitney persuaded municipal authorities that a railroad to the beach in Atlantic City would be beneficial. His successful business relationship with Samuel Richards, an entrepreneur and member of what was then…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, Atlantic City had a total area of 17.21 square miles (44.59 km2), including 10.76 square miles (27.87 km2) of land and 6.45 square miles (16.72 km2) of water (37.50%). Atlantic City borders the Atlantic County municipalities of Absecon, Brigantine, Egg Harbor Township, Galloway Township, Pleasantville, and Ventnor City. The city is located southeast of Philadelphia and south of New York City. Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the city include Chelsea, City Island, Great Island and Venice Park. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Atlantic City has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) with warm, moderately humid summers, cool winters and year-around precipitation. Cfa climates are characterized by all months having an average mean temperature above , at least four months with an average mean temperature at or above , at least one month with an average mean temperature at or above and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. During the summer months in Atlantic City, a cooling afternoon sea breeze is present on most days, but episodes of extreme heat and humidity can occur with heat index values at or above . During the winter months, episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values below . The plant hardiness zone at Atlantic City Beach is 8a with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of . The average seasonal (November–April) snowfall total is , and the average snowiest month is February which corresponds with the annual peak in nor'easter activity. According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Atlantic City would have a dominant vegetation type of Northern…

Most-observed species

• American herring gull, Smithsonian Gull

  Larus smithsonianus Coues, 1862 · Aves
  25,967
• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  25,912
• Red-winged Blackbird

  Agelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  24,529
• Great Egret

  Ardea alba Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  24,524
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  23,753
• Great Blue/Cocoi Heron

  Ardea herodias Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  23,348
• Laughing Gull

  Leucophaeus atricilla (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  22,036
• Double-crested Cormorant

  Phalacrocorax auritus (Lesson, 1831) · Aves
  20,637

Largest nearby schools

• Egg Harbor Township High School
  High · EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP · 2,335 students · 11.7:1 ratio
• Atlantic City High School
  High · Atlantic City · 1,764 students · 12.1:1 ratio
• Swift-Slaybaugh Complex
  Elementary · EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP · 1,421 students · 15.4:1 ratio
• Mainland Regional High School
  High · LINWOOD · 1,181 students · 10.7:1 ratio
• Absegami High School
  High · GALLOWAY · 1,125 students · 11.3:1 ratio
• Pleasantville High School
  High · PLEASANTVILLE · 924 students · 14.4:1 ratio
• Fernwood Avenue Middle School
  Middle · EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP · 883 students · 11.3:1 ratio
• Pleasantville Middle School
  Middle · PLEASANTVILLE · 883 students · 13.4:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 4.1 — 2017-11-30
  3 km NNE of Little Creek, Delaware
• M 2.78 — 2009-07-01
  3 km ESE of Pennsville, New Jersey