Miss America Beauty Pageant Contestants, circa 1920s

This group of Miss America contestants posed for this portrait wearing ornate headpieces and flapper costumes in the 1920s.

(Photo by Atlantic Foto Service. Courtesy Bettmen Archive.)

The pageant, which was originally called Atlantic City’s Inter-City Beauty Contest, was organized in 1921 by a local businessmen’s group seeking to entice tourists to visit Atlantic City over Labor Day weekend.

The first winner was Margaret Gorman, Miss District of Columbia, who was declared “The Most Beautiful Bathing Girl in America” at the age of 16. She received a statue of a golden mermaid. Mary Katherine Campbell of Columbus, won in 1922 and 1923, and was the only woman to win twice. The eligibility rules will changed in 1924, to ensure that no one could win the title more than once.

The contest still exists and is referred to as a scholarship pageant.

Vintage Photos Show What Atlantic City Boardwalk Looked Like in the 1970s

Atlantic City is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. It was incorporated on May 1, 1854, from portions of Egg Harbor Township and Galloway Township.

The city is located on Absecon Island and borders Absecon, Brigantine, Pleasantville, Ventnor City, Egg Harbor Township, and the Atlantic Ocean.

Atlantic City inspired the U.S. version of the board game Monopoly, especially the street names. Since 1921, Atlantic City has been the home of the Miss America pageant. In 1976, New Jersey voters legalized casino gambling in Atlantic City. The first casino opened two years later.

These vintage color photos from Flickr members captured life of the Atlantic City Boardwalk in the 1970s.

See more»

Vintage Color Photos of Atlantic City in 1962

Like many older east coast cities after World War II, Atlantic City became plagued with poverty, crime, corruption, and general economic decline in the mid-to-late 20th century. The neighborhood known as the "Inlet" became particularly impoverished. By the late 1960s, many of the resort's once great hotels were suffering from high vacancy rates. Most of them were either shut down, converted to cheap apartments, or converted to nursing home facilities by the end of the decade. Prior to and during the advent of legalized gambling, many of these hotels were demolished. Of the many pre-casino resorts that bordered the boardwalk, only the Claridge, the Dennis, the Ritz-Carlton, and the Haddon Hall survive to this day as parts of Bally's Atlantic City, a condo complex, and Resorts Atlantic City.

The city hosted the 1964 Democratic National Convention which nominated Lyndon Johnson for president and Hubert Humphrey as vice president. The convention and the press coverage it generated, however, cast a harsh light on Atlantic City, which by then was in the midst of a long period of economic decline.

More fascinating vintage photographs could be found at Glen’s amazing Flickr site.

See more»

Elephant Hotel: The Prime Example of Novelty Architecture

Novelty architecture, also called programmatic or mimetic architecture, is a type of architecture in which buildings and other structures are given unusual shapes for purposes such as advertising or to copy other famous buildings without any intention of being authentic.

Their size and novelty means that they often serve as landmarks. They are distinct from architectural follies, in that novelty architecture is essentially usable buildings in eccentric form whereas follies are non-usable, ornamental buildings often in eccentric form.

Utility buildings and “novelty structures” are the red headed step-children of architecture - Like the Elephant Hotel, a 10 room hotel built in 1885. Intended to be one of a menagerie of buildings in the Margate City project in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Before Casinos: 42 Color Pics That Capture Atlantic City in the 1960s

Incorporated on May 1, 1854, from portions of Egg Harbor Township and Galloway Township, Atlantic City is a resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. It borders Absecon, Brigantine, Pleasantville, Ventnor City, Egg Harbor Township, and the Atlantic Ocean.

Atlantic City inspired the U.S. version of the board game Monopoly, especially the street names. Since 1921, Atlantic City has been the home of the Miss America pageant. In 1976, New Jersey voters legalized casino gambling in Atlantic City. The first casino opened two years later.

Before casinos, here is what Atlantic City looked like in the 1960s.

Atlantic City, January 1960

Atlantic City, January 1960

Atlantic City, January 1960

Under Boardwalk, Atlantic City, 1961

At a swimming pool of a hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1962

See more»

20 Incredible Vintage Photographs of Women Diving Horses in Atlantic City From the Early 20th Century

During the early twentieth century, a show called “The Great Carver Show” became center of attraction at the Atlantic City’s Steel Pier. This queer and bizarre show involved a horse with a young lady in a swimsuit on its back, jumping from a high platform into a pool of water below. The platforms were set as high as 60ft and the horse had to jump into a tank just 12 ft deep. Just for comparison, professional divers competing in Olympics and other World Championships, dive from a height of 32.8 ft into a 16 feet deep pool.

The show was dangerous yet extremely popular, attracting a multitude of crowd. Perhaps this is ‘what’ was considered entertainment in those days. The act of the show was simple, the horse would walk up a platform raising to a height varying from 30-60 feet. The rider would mount the horse and then the duo will take the leap of faith and dive into a pool of water below.

The idea of the show was developed by William Doc Carver. He claims that this idea came into being due to a mishap. Carver was once crossing a bridge over Plate River in Nebraska and suddenly, the bridge collapsed. His horse jumped into the water instantaneously. By the time, the horse was paddling towards the shore, Carver used his experience to develop the idea of the act of “Diving Horse” as a means of entertainment.

While Carver had a detailed blueprint of the “Diving Horse” as a commercial show in his mind, he knew that he had no future as a performer. As a result, he convinced his daughter, Lorena, to take up the practice with the horses.

The horses were trained to dive three to four times on performance days. Each horse was unique and had its own style of diving. One of the horses, would stand for 5 minutes and watch seagulls pass by and then dive. While there was another horse who would simply rush up to the platform and jump without stopping or waiting for the diver. Once he went too fast and out-jumped the pool, he was retired thereafter.

Sonora Webster joined Carver’s show in 1924 as a horse jumper, and eventually married Carver’s son. After the creator's death in 1927, they took the show on the road, finally settling it as a main attraction on Steel Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where it was wildly successful.

In 1931, Sonora was permanently blinded by the impact from a botched jump. She was hardly discouraged, though. Her blindness simply enhanced the spectacle of the show as she continued diving for another decade.

Concerns over animal wellbeing caused a decrease in show popularity in the second half of the 20th century. Still, the horse diving show continued into the late 1970s before being shut down because of the decaying condition of Steel Pier.

See more»

Fascinating Photos That Capture Everyday Life of Atlantic City in the 1960s

Incorporated on May 1, 1854, from portions of Egg Harbor Township and Galloway Township, Atlantic City is a resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, known for its casinos, boardwalks, and beaches. It borders Absecon, Brigantine, Pleasantville, Ventnor City, West Atlantic City, and the Atlantic Ocean.

Since 1921, Atlantic City has been the home of the Miss America pageant. In 1976, New Jersey voters legalized casino gambling in Atlantic City. The first casino opened two years later.

Take a look at these color photos to see what Atlantic City looked like in the 1960s.

Traymore Hotel

Traymore Hotel

Traymore Hotel

Atlantic City beach

Atlantic City Boardwalk from Balcony

See more»

19 Candid Photographs Documented Scenes During the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City, 1945

These photographs were taken by LIFE photographer Alfred Eisentaedt during the 1945 competition in Atlantic City. There were speeches and displays of genuine talent on stage. But more often than not, the images that emerged from the two-day affair featured scores of women, most of whom seemed—and who still seem—to be cut from very much the same physical mold, wearing very small bathing suits and posing or parading in high heels.

That the Miss America title for many decades really meant Miss Caucasian America certainly undercut the pageant's unspoken but strongly implied claim to celebrate—and judge—an entire nation's loveliest and most talented women. African-American women did not even begin competing in the pageant until the 1970s, and the first African-American Miss America, the wonderful Vanessa Williams, would not be crowned until 1984—a full six decades after the pageant began.

But that sort of problematic history aside, the Miss America pageant remains a signature cultural happening, while the Miss America Organization provides tens of millions of scholarship dollars annually to thousands of young women who, without that money, might not be able to attend college. In fact, it just so happens that the Miss America featured in this gallery, Bess Myerson—incidentally, the first Jewish winner of the pageant—was the very first Miss America to receive a scholarship as part of her victory prize.

The winner of the 1945 Miss America pageant, 21-year-old Bess Myerson of New York.

Spectators line up during the Miss America pageant festivities in Atlantic City, 1945.

Bess Myerson, Miss America, 1945.

Scene outside the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City, 1945.

Scene during the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City, 1945.

See more»

Season Swapping: The Sun and Star Rooftop Café in the Winter of 1948

Visiting Atlantic City in January, you most likely wouldn’t have your bikini and sunglasses in tow, but in the winter of 1948, the Senator Hotel had a secret weapon for attracting guests all year round. Perched above the snow-capped buildings of the seaside resort, this skyscraper hotel boasted a portal to the tropics with a modern sky cabana equipped with state of the art sunlamps, sun loungers and most importantly, lots of ice cream on the menu.

Sip on a cocktail decked in a bikini, or order your kids some ice cream while you enjoy the view... of snow-capped buildings outside, that is! Fortunately, the world has since become informed about the dangers of tanning (skin cancer), and the use of sunlamps has since been regulated. The idea is still lovely, though.

See more»

Ladies enjoying their swinging chairs on an Atlantic City beach, ca. 1905

19 Wonderful Color Photos Capture Scenes of the Atlantic City Beach and Boardwalk From Between the 1950s and '60s

The Atlantic City Boardwalk opened on June 26, 1870, as the first boardwalk in the United States.

The Boardwalk starts at Absecon Inlet in the north and runs along the beach south-west to the city limit 4 miles (6.4 km) away then continues 1 1⁄2 miles (2.4 km) into Ventnor City.

Stroll along the Boardwalk and enjoy ocean views on one side and shopping on the other, ranging from high-end retail to saltwater taffy shops.

Casino/hotels front the boardwalk, as well as retail stores, restaurants, and amusements. Notable attractions include the Boardwalk Hall, House of Blues, and the Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum.

Atlantic City beach and boardwalk activities include surfing, kayaking, windsurfing and fishing. Here are some of wonderful color photographs that capture scenes of the Atlantic City from between 1950s and '60s.

Atlantic City 1951 - Ballantine Ale and Beer.

Atlantic City 1951 - Boardwalk - Traymore Hotel.

Atlantic City 1956 - Brighton Hotel.

Atlantic City 1960s - Boardwalk - Schmidt's Beer.

Atlantic City 1964 - Boardwalk - Barry Goldwater

See more»