Atlantic City, New Jersey, was established as a resort to which New Yorkers could escape from the city. The first hotel was built in 1853 and the city was incorporated in 1854.
Atlantic City sits on Absecon Island, which it shares with three other resort communities. The street grid of Atlantic City forms the base for the board game Monopoly.
During the Roaring Twenties, Atlantic City experienced an extended prosperity. Although both were illegal, liquor was readily available and gambling took place in back rooms. After World War II, Atlantic City declined and in an effort to revitalize it, New Jersey legalized casino gambling for Atlantic City in 1976. The first legal casino on the East Coast opened there in 1978.