Page 22 - 2024 Southern NJ Vacationer

BOARDWALKS & PROMENADES
Saltwater Taffy, Rolling Chairs and Tram Cars
THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS that are synonymous with the Garden State’s Southern Shore Region, but none of them screams “summer” louder than the area’s boardwalks. These grand structures – often imitated, never truly copied – symbolize the joyous, carefree, exciting experiences that come with a visit to the Jersey Shore as much as saltwater taffy, seagulls, and pizza.
Many people believe boardwalks were so named because they are usually constructed of wooden boards, and people walk on them. While those facts may be true, it is not the reason the walkways are called “boardwalks.” America’s first boardwalk, constructed in 1870 in Atlantic City, was conceived of by a railroad conductor named Alexander Boardman. Mr. Boardman came up with the idea of a raised structure to keep the sand out of railroad cars and hotels in the resort. His last name has since been tied to the area’s boardwalks that now house amusement piers, shops, and arcades.
That first boardwalk was just ten feet wide, and connected Atlantic City’s beach with the town. It was temporary, and taken up during the winter, when fewer people use the beach. Over the past century, the city’s famous walkway grew to be recognized by people the world over because of the popularity of the Monopoly board game. Few people have escaped the board game stress of rolling the dice and hoping to get
past Boardwalk or Park Place with hotels. Atlantic City’s boardwalk still stands, although there have been several versions of the historic landmark thanks to coastal storms and renovations. For more than 150 years Atlantic City’s wooden walkway has served as the backdrop for many motion pictures, the resort’s parades (including Miss
America), the fabled casinos, thrilling amusement rides on Steel Pier, rolling chairs, and untolled memories. Atlantic City’s boardwalk is four miles long, with another 1.5 miles extending south into Ventnor. There, the structure stretches down to Fredericksburg Avenue.
Not every resort in the Southern Shore
20 SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY VACATIONER