South Jersey comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of New Jersey . It is located between Pennsylvania and the lower Delaware River to its west, the Atlantic Ocean to its east, Delaware to its south, and Central Jersey or North Jersey to its north, depending on the definition of North Jersey.
102-645: The South Jersey Times is a newspaper serving the South Jersey area of New Jersey . The newspaper began publication on November 4, 2012, following a merger of three affiliated papers, Gloucester County Times , The News of Cumberland County and Today's Sunbeam of Salem , each of which were founded during the 1800s, and all of which ceased publication after their November 3, 2012 edition. The paper initially focused coverage on Camden , Cumberland , Gloucester and Salem counties before expanding to cover all of South Jersey. The paper, which brought over
204-597: A Pennsylvania Railroad subsidiary. Much of the system is part of the South Jersey/Philadelphia Shared Assets Area . The Glassboro–Camden Line , a light rail system, is currently under construction. Beginning in the early 20th century, the towns bordering the Delaware River saw increased manufacturing due to improved transportation and technology. A year before the turn of the century, in 1899, John Thompson Dorrance ,
306-541: 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 viewed by developers as prime real estate and a potential resort town. In 1853, the first commercial hotel, the Belloe House, was built at the intersection of Massachusetts and Atlantic Avenues. The city
408-610: A $ 1.5-$ 2-billion casino resort, the company canceled its construction plans and sold the land for $ 29.5 million. MGM Resorts International announced in October 2007 that it would pull out of all development for Atlantic City, effectively ending its plans for the MGM Grand Atlantic City. In 2006, Morgan Stanley purchased 20 acres (8.1 ha) directly north of the Showboat Atlantic City for
510-693: A 1974 referendum on legalized gambling failed to pass. Immediately after the legislation passed, the owners of the Chalfonte-Haddon Hall Hotel began converting it into the Resorts International. It was the first legal casino in the eastern United States when it opened on May 26, 1978. Other casinos were soon constructed along the Boardwalk and, later, in the marina district for a total of nine today. The introduction of gambling did not, however, quickly eliminate many of
612-617: A 30-cent toll. Albany Avenue was the first road to the mainland available without a toll. By 1878, because of the growing popularity of the city, one railroad line could no longer keep up with demand. Soon, the Philadelphia and Atlantic City Railway was also constructed to transport tourists to Atlantic City. At this point massive hotels like the United States Hotel and Surf House, as well as smaller rooming houses, had sprung up all over town. The United States Hotel took up
714-486: A bill offering tax incentives to attract new investors and complete the job, but a poll by Fairleigh Dickinson University 's PublicMind released in March 2010 showed that 60% of voters opposed the legislation, and two of three of those who opposed it "strongly" opposed it. Ultimately, Governor Chris Christie offered Revel $ 261 million in state tax credits to assist the casino once it opened. Revel completed all of
816-588: A chemist for Campbell Soup Company , perfected his method of canning condensed soup. This allowed Campbell to ship and sell its product at one-third the cost. Campbell had national distribution by 1911 when its products were first marketed in California. The New York Shipbuilding Corporation opened its first shipyard in 1900 in Camden . The company produced a variety of ships, ranging from aircraft carriers and battleships to luxury liners and barges. By 1917, NYSB
918-572: A condo complex, and Resorts Atlantic City . The old Ambassador Hotel was purchased by Ramada in 1978 and was gutted to become the Tropicana Casino and Resort Atlantic City , only reusing the steelwork of the original building. Smaller hotels off the boardwalk, such as the Madison also survived. In an effort at revitalizing the city, New Jersey voters in 1976 passed a referendum, approving casino gambling for Atlantic City; this came after
1020-668: A contender to build a supermarket. As of December 2023, there was only one functioning supermarket in Atlantic City, the Save-A-Lot food store located in Renaissance Plaza, an area of the city known for its significant homeless population and drug use. The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority has proposed a new supermarket that would be located on an empty parking lot behind the Tanger Outlets and near
1122-459: A distinct toponym is a colloquialism rather than an administrative definition and reflects geographical and perceived cultural and other differences between South Jersey and the northern part of the state . South Jersey is a peninsula bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to its southeast, the Delaware Bay to its southwest, and the Delaware River to its northwest. All of South Jersey
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#17327981632611224-559: A distinct economy centered around the tourism industry. Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester counties have several older streetcar towns, and many residents from these three counties commute to Philadelphia, the nation's sixth-most populous city , which is located immediately west of South Jersey across the Delaware River , accessible by the Benjamin Franklin Bridge , Betsy Ross Bridge , Tacony Palmyra Bridge and Walt Whitman Bridge . The designation of South Jersey with
1326-462: A full city block between Atlantic, Pacific, Delaware, and Maryland Avenues. These hotels were not only impressive in size, but featured the most up-to-date amenities, and were considered quite luxurious for their time. In 1883, salt water taffy was conceived in Atlantic City by David Bradley. The traditional story is that Bradley's shop was flooded after a major storm, soaking his taffy with salty Atlantic Ocean water. He sold some "salt water taffy" to
1428-414: A girl, who proudly walked down to the beach to show her friends. Bradley's mother was in the back of the store when the sale was made, and loved the name, and so salt water taffy was born. In the early 20th century, Atlantic City experienced a radical building boom. Many of the modest boarding houses that dotted the boardwalk were replaced with large hotels. Two of the city's most distinctive hotels were
1530-532: A harsh light on Atlantic City, which by then was in the midst of a long period of economic decline. Many felt that the friendship between Johnson and Governor of New Jersey Richard J. Hughes led Atlantic City to host the Democratic Convention. 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
1632-460: A health resort, his efforts to convince the municipal authorities that a railroad to the beach would be beneficial, his successful alliance with Samuel Richards (entrepreneur and member of the most influential family in southern New Jersey at the time) to achieve that goal, the actual building of the railroad, and the experience of the first 600 riders, who "were chosen carefully by Samuel Richards and Jonathan Pitney": After arriving in Atlantic City,
1734-487: A hint from the Marlborough-Blenheim, commissioned the firm of Price and McLanahan to build an even bigger hotel. Rising 16 stories, the tan brick and gold-capped hotel would become one of the city's best-known landmarks. The hotel made use of ocean-facing hotel rooms by jutting its wings farther from the main portion of the hotel along Pacific Avenue. One by one, additional large hotels were constructed along
1836-775: A household in South Jersey was $ 63,834.54, and the population was 65.3% non-Hispanic White, 15.9% non-Hispanic Black, 11.6% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 4.2% non-Hispanic Asian, and 3.0% non-Hispanic other or mixed race. South Jersey had a total population of 1,854,453 in 2010 (up from 693,402 in 1940) if the counties of Camden, Burlington, Gloucester, Salem, Atlantic, Cape May, and Cumberland are included. Additionally, Rutgers University has academic satellites at Atlantic Cape Community College in Mays Landing and Camden County Community College in Blackwood . Rutgers also has
1938-645: A lower demand for labor in the region. By 1810, the population of slaves dwindled to 328 total, compared to 10,532 total slaves in the rest of New Jersey. Although discriminatory policies still targeted blacks, South Jersey became a haven for ex-slaves. William Still , a notable African-American abolitionist, was born in Burlington County, and is nicknamed the "father of the Underground Railroad " for his role in helping slaves escape to freedom. Railroads came into operation in South Jersey by
2040-653: A new $ 2-billion-plus casino resort. Revel Entertainment Group was named as the project's developer for the Revel Casino . Revel was hindered with many problems, the biggest setback occurring in April 2010 when Morgan Stanley, the owner of 90% of Revel Entertainment Group, decided to discontinue funding for continued construction and put its stake in Revel up for sale. Early in 2010, the New Jersey state legislature passed
2142-955: A number of minor league teams. The Jersey Shore BlueClaws play in Lakewood and are an affiliate of the Phillies . Minor league soccer is also played in South Jersey, as the Ocean City Nor'easters of the Premier Development League are based in Ocean City . The Nor'easters play their home games at Carey Stadium . In 2007, the WNBA was considering expansion in Atlantic City . The Atlantic City ownership group competed with other groups from Philadelphia , Atlanta , Kansas City , Albuquerque , Colorado , and
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#17327981632612244-506: A number of nearby municipalities could have just as easily been given the distinction. Conversely, Morgan Quitno has rated nearby Camden the "most dangerous city" in the United States three times within the same decade and Camden had a median household income of $ 18,007 in 2006, making it the poorest U.S. city with over 65,000 residents. Moorestown and Camden share a central highway, NJ County Road 537 . The average income for
2346-669: A number of research field stations located in South Jersey, including the Philip E. Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry Research and Extension in Chatsworth and the Rutgers University Marine Field Station in Tuckerton . Many South Jerseyans root for Philadelphia professional sports teams including the Phillies , Eagles , Flyers , 76ers , and Union . In southern Ocean County , there
2448-410: A second train brought the visitors to the door of the resort's first public lodging, the United States Hotel. The hotel was owned by the railroad. It was a sprawling, four-story structure built to house 2,000 guests. It opened while it was still under construction, with only one wing standing, and even that wasn't completed. By year's end, when it was fully constructed, the United States Hotel was not only
2550-544: Is a strong mix of Philadelphia and New York sports fans since the county's media markets overlap. While there are no major league teams in South Jersey, in recent seasons the 76ers have held training camp at Stockton University in Galloway Township . In 2016, the 76ers opened a practice facility on the Camden waterfront. The Flyers practice in Voorhees at the local Skate Zone. South Jersey has been home to
2652-485: Is famous for its beaches, boardwalk, and casino gambling. Atlantic City is located in the Jersey Shore region on Absecon Island , along with Ventnor City , Margate City , and Longport . Atlantic City became a resort town in 1854, when train service to the city allowed beachgoers from Philadelphia to vacation in the city. The first boardwalk in the world opened in the city in 1870, and large hotels were built in
2754-603: Is not limited, to: Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City , sometimes referred to by its initials A.C. , is a Jersey Shore seaside resort city in Atlantic County , in the U.S. state of New Jersey . Atlantic City comprises the second half of the Atlantic City- Hammonton metropolitan statistical area , which encompasses those cities and all of Atlantic County for statistical purposes. Both Atlantic City and Hammonton, as well as
2856-480: Is one of the city's main attractions. Nearby, Cherry Hill , the second largest municipality in South Jersey and the 12th largest in New Jersey by population, is an edge city that also serves as a regional economic center. Pureland Industrial Complex , the nation's largest industrial park , is located 12 miles from the port of Camden in Logan Township . Atlantic City is a major tourist destination that
2958-707: Is part of the Atlantic Plain , a landform of broad plains and gently sloping hills that extends southward from the New York Bight to Florida . Much of the Atlantic Plain is covered by pine and oak-pine forests and salt marshes and is underlain by poorly consolidated sedimentary formations from the Cretaceous , Tertiary , and Quaternary ages that dip seaward. The Atlantic Coastal Plain can be divided into three physiographic subprovinces:
3060-1052: Is part of the Philadelphia television and radio market. Newspapers in the region include the Courier-Post , which refers to itself as "South Jersey's Newspaper" and is based in Camden County . It covers all of South Jersey but focuses primarily on these three counties. The South Jersey Times , based in Mullica Hill , also covers South Jersey but spotlights Gloucester, Cumberland, and Salem counties. Some nationally known South Jerseyans include Bruce Willis , Mike Trout , Roscoe Lee Browne , John Forsythe , Ali Larter , Kelly Ripa , Tara Lipinski , Michael Landon , Linda Fiorentino , Joe Flacco , Carl Lewis , Grace Helbig , Martin Truex Jr. , Steve Kaplan , and Carli Lloyd . See also: A list of unique and notable South Jersey cultural and business institutions includes, but
3162-547: Is unsuitable for agriculture. Commercial farming in the Pine Barrens is limited to plants that thrive in its nutrient-poor soil, generally restricted to acidic fruits. In the Pine Barrens, cranberries and blueberries are cultivated in lowland bogs that have accumulated depths of organic matter. South Jersey has a humid subtropical climate . Compared to northern parts of New Jersey, South Jersey has slightly higher temperatures and receives less annual precipitation. Along
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3264-548: Is widely known as a food desert , with the nearest fully-functioning supermarket being located in neighboring Ventnor City , which is 3 miles (4.8 km) away from the majority of Atlantic City's population. As a result, proposals for a supermarket were floated beginning in May 2021, and Atlantic City's City Council gave permission to the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority to look for
3366-478: The 2020 census , the city had a population of 38,497, a decline of 1,061 (−2.7%) from the 2010 census count of 39,558, which in turn reflected a decrease of 959 (−2.4%) from the 40,517 counted in the 2000 census . The city was incorporated on May 1, 1854, from portions of Egg Harbor Township and Galloway Township . It is located on Absecon Island and borders Absecon , Brigantine , Egg Harbor Township, Galloway Township, Pleasantville , Ventnor City , and
3468-642: The Algonquian language family. Because the Lenape were concentrated around the Delaware River and its tributaries, Europeans later named them the Delaware Indians. After the arrival of the Europeans, the Lenape population dwindled quickly due to disease and conflict. Those who were left migrated north or west, or became integrated into local settler communities. Although present-day South Jersey
3570-481: The Atlantic City Expressway . Groundbreaking for a ShopRite supermarket had taken place in October 2021, after Village Super Market received $ 18.7 million from the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority to construct the store. The supermarket was expected to be completed by December 2022, although no construction or building had happened on the site, which drew attention from residents. After
3672-458: The Atlantic Ocean . Prior to Atlantic City's founding, the region served as a summer home for the Lenape , a Native American tribe. While the precise 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
3774-635: The Boardwalk Hall , finalized on September 30, 1924. Bader was also a driving force behind the creation of the Miss America competition. In May 1929, Johnson hosted a conference for organized crime figures from all across America that created a National Crime Syndicate . The men who called this meeting were Masseria family lieutenant Charles "Lucky" Luciano and former Chicago South Side Gang boss Johnny "the Fox" Torrio , with heads of
3876-784: The British was widespread during the American Revolution among South Jersey Presbyterians , who aided the colonists during the Revolutionary War . Several Presbyterian preachers, including John Brainerd, accepted military positions and urged Presbyterians to enlist in the army . During the war, the Delaware River was strategic for its commercial importance and its role in defending Philadelphia. General Howe captured Philadelphia in September 1777, occupying
3978-580: The Bugs and Meyer Mob , Meyer Lansky and Benjamin Siegel , being used as muscle for the meeting. Gangster and businessman Al Capone attended the conference and was photographed walking along the Atlantic City boardwalk with Johnson. The 1930s through the 1960s were a heyday for nightclub entertainment. Popular venues on the white-populated south side included the 500 Club , the Clicquot Club , and
4080-453: 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" Nelson Johnson describes the inspiration of Jonathan Pitney (the "Father of Atlantic City" ) to develop Atlantic City as
4182-817: The Jersey Shore , temperatures are moderated by sea breezes . The following seven counties are completely included in South Jersey: Some definitions of South Jersey include the southern portion of Ocean County . In April 2015, an NJ.com poll with 90,000 respondents asked readers to identify the communities in North , Central , and South Jersey. Barnegat , Eagleswood , Lacey Township , Little Egg Harbor , Long Beach Island , Ocean Township , Stafford Township , and Tuckerton were all voted as part of South Jersey. The Ocean County communities north of Lacey Township were considered to be part of Central Jersey. The northernmost communities of Burlington County
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4284-584: The Jockey Club . In the Northside neighborhood , home to African Americans in the racially segregated city, a black entertainment district reigned on Kentucky Avenue. Four major nightclubs, Club Harlem , the Paradise Club , Grace's Little Belmont , and Wonder Gardens , drew both black and white patrons. During the summer tourist season, jazz and R&B music could be heard into the wee hours of
4386-576: The Keith line , ran diagonally across the middle part of the state. The borders remained important in determining ownership and political boundaries until 1745. Remnants of that division are seen today, notably as the Burlington - Monmouth and Burlington- Ocean County lines and the municipal boundaries within Ocean County. In contemporary culture, the border signifies a functional boundary between
4488-633: The Marlborough-Blenheim Hotel and the Traymore Hotel . In 1902, Josiah White III bought a parcel of land near Ohio Avenue and the boardwalk, where he started construction and built the Queen Anne style Marlborough House. The hotel was a success. In 1905, he chose to expand the hotel and bought another parcel of land adjacent to his Marlborough House. In an effort to make his new hotel a source of conversation, White hired
4590-544: The New Jersey Pine Barrens and marshland, remained unpopulated because its acidic, nutrient-poor soil that was unsuited for farming. Most of the cities were concentrated along the Delaware River except for a few settlements and seaside resorts along the Jersey Shore . Slavery was less extensive in South Jersey than it was in other parts of the state because of the Quakers ' religious opposition to it, and
4692-604: The Ocean City metropolitan area with an estimated 2008 population of 95,838. Atlantic, Cape May, and Cumberland counties are all part of the Philadelphia-Camden-Vineland combined statistical area . Ocean County , with a 2020 population of 637,229, is considered part of the New York–North Jersey–Long Island Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of North Jersey and Central Jersey with
4794-721: The San Francisco Bay Area . In the end, the expansion franchise was awarded to Atlanta . South Jersey was home to the now-defunct independent league baseball teams the Atlantic City Surf and Camden Riversharks . Outside of baseball, South Jersey was also home to the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies , a minor league ice hockey team affiliated with the East Coast Hockey League . The Jersey Knights of
4896-407: The United States Supreme Court agreed to hear Christie v. National Collegiate Athletic Association and heard oral arguments in December 2017. Then, on May 14, 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was unconstitutional. The act was overturned, allowing New Jersey to move ahead with plans to implement legalized sports betting. Despite being
4998-479: The World Hockey Association played at the Cherry Hill Arena in Cherry Hill from 1973 to 1974. Previously, the minor league Jersey Devils of the Eastern Hockey League played at Cherry Hill Arena from 1964 to 1973. South Jersey's regional commercial centers include: Cherry Hill , Camden , and Atlantic City with its resort casinos , boardwalk, shopping, and beaches. Other South Jersey Seaside resorts and commercial centers include: South Jersey
5100-415: The "Las Vegas of the East Coast" and inspired the U.S. version of the board game Monopoly , which uses various Atlantic City street names and destinations in the game. New Jersey voters legalized casino gambling in Atlantic City in 1976, and the first casino opened two years later. From 1921 to 2004, Atlantic City hosted the Miss America pageant, which later returned to the city from 2013 to 2018. As of
5202-440: The "Skyscraper by the Sea". With tourism peaking in the 1920s, the period is often considered by historians to be Atlantic City's golden age. During Prohibition , which was enacted nationally in 1919 and lasted until 1933, much liquor was consumed and gambling regularly took place in the back rooms of nightclubs and restaurants. During Prohibition, racketeer and political boss Enoch L. "Nucky" Johnson rose to power. Prohibition
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#17327981632615304-406: The Blenheim and merged the two hotels into the Marlborough-Blenheim. Bally's Atlantic City was later constructed at this location. The Traymore Hotel was located at the corner of Illinois Avenue and the boardwalk. Constructed in 1879 as a small boarding house, the hotel grew through a series of uncoordinated expansions. By 1914, the hotel's owner, Daniel White, Josiah White's half-brother, taking
5406-495: The British in 1667. During the British colonial period , nearly all of South Jersey was part of the Province of West Jersey between 1674 and 1702 as a Quaker commonwealth. Burlington , the capital of West Jersey, was established in 1677, and Camden was established in 1681. Since the Delaware River was not easily navigable north of Trenton , the population was concentrated along the southern Delaware River . The borders between West Jersey and East Jersey , first surveyed using
5508-415: The Inner Lowlands, Outer Lowlands, and Central Uplands. The Inner Lowlands region encompasses the low valley along the Delaware River , with an elevation ranging from 50 feet (15 m) to 100 feet (30 m), and the Outer Lowlands encompasses the area near the Atlantic Ocean with an elevation that rarely exceeds 50 feet (15 m). The Inner Lowlands are fertile due to the deposition of sediment in
5610-430: The New York City and Philadelphia spheres of influence. By 1700, nearly 70% of the population of West Jersey were Quakers of English or Irish origin. The Quakers, who believed in peace, equality, and integrity, influenced early New Jersey. In contrast, East Jersey had high proportions of Scottish and Dutch settlers. In 1702, East Jersey and West Jersey were reunited under the reign of Queen Anne . Resistance to
5712-403: The architectural firm of Price and McLanahan. The firm made use of reinforced concrete , a new building material invented by Jean-Louis Lambot in 1848, and Joseph Monier received the patent in 1867. The hotel's Spanish and Moorish themes, capped off with its signature dome and chimneys, represented a step forward from other hotels that had a classically designed influence. White named the new hotel
5814-415: The boardwalk was expanded in length and width, and modified several times in subsequent years. Prior to the destructive 1944 Great Atlantic Hurricane , the historic length of the boardwalk was about 7 mi (11 km) and it extended from Atlantic City to Longport , through Ventnor and Margate . The first road connecting the city to the mainland at Pleasantville was completed in 1870 and charged
5916-457: The boardwalk, including the Brighton, Chelsea, Shelburne, Ambassador, Ritz Carlton, Mayflower, Madison House, and the Breakers. The Quaker -owned Chalfonte House, opened in 1868, and Haddon House, opened in 1869, flanked North Carolina Avenue at the beach end. Over the years, their original wood-frame structures would be enlarged, and even moved closer to the beach. The modern Chalfonte Hotel, eight stories tall, opened in 1904. The modern Haddon Hall
6018-409: The city for 10 months. The Quakers as a whole were opposed to the Revolution on their principles of nonviolence. Members of the Religious Society of Friends were forbidden to support the local militias, or faced disownment by the Quakers. For many years, South Jersey has been mistakenly perceived solely as an agricultural society. In the 18th century, South Jersey, including Alloway in Salem County ,
6120-470: The city has been fueled by the casino industry, and Atlantic City is the second-largest casino gaming market in the United States behind Las Vegas . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , Burlington , Camden , and Gloucester Counties are part of the Camden metropolitan division with an estimated population of 1,250,569 as of 2008. Salem County is part of the Wilmington metropolitan division. The Camden and Wilmington metropolitan divisions are part of
6222-429: The city to attract customers to his casinos. Mike Tyson fought most of his fights in Atlantic City in the 1980s, which helped Atlantic City achieve national attention as a gambling resort and vacation destination. Several highrise condominiums were built for use as permanent residences or second homes. By end of the decade, it was one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States. On June 27, 2017,
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#17327981632616324-424: The city were scrapped in 2002, the tunnel opened in 2001. The new roadway prompted Boyd Gaming in partnership with MGM/Mirage to build Atlantic City's newest casino. Borgata opened in July 2003, and its success brought an influx of developers to Atlantic City with plans for building grand, Las Vegas-style mega casinos to revitalize the aging city. Owing to economic conditions and the late 2000s recession , many of
6426-424: The city, as well as from kickbacks on construction projects. During this time, Atlantic City was led by mayor Edward L. Bader , known for his contributions to the construction, athletics and aviation of Atlantic City. Despite opposition, he had Atlantic City purchase the land that became the city's municipal airport and high school football stadium, both of which were later named Bader Field in his honor. He led
6528-420: The early 1990s, along with newly built casinos in the nearby Philadelphia metro area in the 2000s, Atlantic City's tourism began to decline due to its failure to diversify away from gambling. In 1999 the Atlantic City Redevelopment Authority partnered with Las Vegas casino mogul Steve Wynn to develop a new roadway to a barren section of the city near the Marina. Nicknamed "The Tunnel Project", Steve Wynn planned
6630-399: The early 20th century to accommodate visitors. In the mid-20th century, Atlantic City declined as a tourist destination due to competition from other resorts made accessible by automobile and aircraft. After New Jersey voters approved casino gambling in Atlantic City in a 1976 referendum, it became the first legalized casino gambling destination in the Eastern United States . Recent growth in
6732-461: The end of the decade. Prior to and during the advent of legalized gambling, many of these hotels were demolished. The Breakers, The Chelsea , the Brighton, the Shelburne, the Mayflower, the Traymore and the Marlborough-Blenheim were demolished in the 1970s and 1980s. 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 ,
6834-429: The exception of Warren County . However, much of Ocean County lies in both New York City and Philadelphia media markets. 2020 2010 Type (575 km ) (2,085 km ) (842 km ) (1,453 km ) (1,267 km ) (660 km 2 ) (875 km ) Present-day South Jersey was first inhabited by the Lenape and was the site of the first Indian reservation . The tribe spoke Unami dialects, part of
6936-486: The exterior work and had continued work on the interior after finally receiving the funding necessary to complete construction, and had a soft opening in April 2012 before being fully open the next month. Ten months later, in February 2013, after serious losses and a write-down in the value of the resort from $ 2.4 billion to $ 450 million, Revel filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It was restructured but still could not carry on and re-entered bankruptcy on June 19, 2014. It
7038-420: The first hotel in Atlantic City but also the largest in the nation. Its rooms totaled more than 600, and its grounds covered some 14 acres. The first boardwalk was built in 1870 along a portion of the beach in an effort to help hotel owners keep sand out of their lobbies. Businesses were restricted and the boardwalk was removed each year at the end of the peak season. Because of its effectiveness and popularity,
7140-416: The glassmaking industry, South Jersey was also a major contributor to the iron, coal making, ship building and, later, textile industries. Other businesses that later operated in the region included shoe manufacturers, button makers, barrel makers, and rug companies. While most industries eventually declined, farming still made up the larger portion of the region's economy. South Jersey's interior, consisting of
7242-405: The initiative, in 1923, to construct the Atlantic City High School at Albany and Atlantic Avenues. Bader, in November 1923, initiated a public referendum, during the general election, at which time residents approved the construction of a Convention Center. The city passed an ordinance approving a bond issue for $ 1.5 million to be used for the purchase of land for Convention Hall, now known as
7344-464: The larger Philadelphia –Camden– Wilmington metropolitan statistical area , the eighth largest MSA in the U.S. Cumberland County is part of the Vineland – Millville – Bridgeton Metropolitan Statistical Area. Atlantic City and its surrounding region in Atlantic County are part of the Atlantic City metropolitan area, which had an estimated 2008 population of 270,681. Cape May County is part of
7446-714: The largest remaining example of the Atlantic coastal pine barrens ecosystem. Benjamin Franklin is said to have called New Jersey "a barrel tapped at both ends", referencing the Philadelphia influence on South Jersey and the New York City influence on North Jersey. South Jersey may be defined geographically as the area below I-195 that includes the state's lower seven counties: Atlantic , Burlington , Camden , Cape May , Cumberland , Gloucester , and Salem , and occasionally an eighth, Ocean . South Jersey and
7548-523: The loss of its manufacturing base and the outflow of middle-class residents to the suburbs. Campbell's Soup headquarters and the new corporate headquarters of Susquehanna Bank . Rutgers University–Camden , Rutgers Law School , Cooper Medical School of Rowan University , Cooper University Hospital , and the Camden campus of Camden County College operate in Camden, and the Camden Waterfront
7650-470: The luxury beach resorts during the hot summer. Finally, the rise of relatively cheap jet airline service allowed visitors to travel to year-round resort places such as Miami Beach and the Bahamas . 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
7752-525: The mid-19th century. The advent of the railroad was one of the reasons Charles K. Landis was inspired to found Vineland in 1861. The rail system expanded dramatically during that period, helping a number of towns to grow and thrive. Many of the railroads were later consolidated into the West Jersey and Seashore Railroad (WJ&S). By 1925, it operated 379 miles of road on 717 miles of track. In 1933, it became part of Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines ,
7854-406: The morning. Soul food restaurants and ribs joints also lined Kentucky Avenue, including Wash's Restaurant , Jerry's and Sap's. 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. The reasons for
7956-542: The nation with 6.288 million residents in the core metropolitan statistical area and 7.366 million residents in the combined statistical area of Camden , Philadelphia and Wilmington , as of 2020. South Jersey is known for containing the unique ecoregion known as the Pine Barrens , which remains largely undisturbed despite its location within the Northeastern megalopolis . The South Jersey Pine Barrens are
8058-540: The paper announced it will cease publication of its Saturday print edition, moving to an all-digital delivery of the Saturday edition beginning in 2024. 39°43′31″N 75°12′42″W / 39.725240°N 75.211716°W / 39.725240; -75.211716 ( South Jersey Times ) South Jersey South Jersey is part of the Delaware Valley , the seventh-largest metropolitan region in
8160-573: The proposal as a joke, but the idea gained momentum. On April 23, 1980, the town council of Egg Harbor voted to support the creation of a new state of South Jersey. The statehood movement was an attempt to gain the attention of state lawmakers, centering on issues such as the construction of the Meadowlands Sports Complex in the north while the state refused to support the Garden State Park Racetrack in
8262-522: The proposed 'Mirage Atlantic City' around the idea that he would connect the $ 330 million tunnel stretching 2.5 mi (4.0 km) from the Atlantic City Expressway to his new resort. The roadway was later officially named the Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector , and funnels incoming traffic off of the expressway into the city's marina district and the city of Brigantine . Although Wynn's plans for development in
8364-513: The proposed mega casinos never advanced further than the initial planning stage. One of these developers was Pinnacle Entertainment , which purchased the Sands Atlantic City for $ 250–$ 270 million and closed it on November 11, 2006 with plans to replace it with a larger casino. The following year, the resort was demolished in an implosion, the first of its kind in Atlantic City. While Pinnacle Entertainment intended to replace it with
8466-573: The region, which makes it an ideal region for agriculture. The Outer Lowlands is dominated by coastal estuaries , swamplands , and barrier islands near the Atlantic Ocean and is generally infertile. The Central Uplands varies slightly from the Lowlands in altitude and is covered by the New Jersey Pine Barrens . The Uplands has rolling hills at an elevation over 50 feet, rarely exceeding 200 feet in elevation, along with sandy, acidic soil that
8568-553: The resort's decline were multi-layered. First, the automobile became more readily available to many Americans after the war. Atlantic City had initially relied upon visitors coming by train and staying for a couple of weeks. The car allowed them to come and go as they pleased, and many people would spend only a few days, rather than weeks. The advent of suburbia also played a significant role. With many families moving to their own private houses, luxuries such as home air conditioning and swimming pools diminished their interest in flocking to
8670-437: The south. A non-binding referendum was presented to six counties in 1980 (with the exclusion of Camden and Gloucester counties), and 51 percent of voters declared that they wanted to secede and establish a new state; Ocean County was the only southern county of six that voted to defeat the referendum. In 2005, Money magazine declared Moorestown as the "best place to live" in the United States, although they stated that
8772-623: The staff of its predecessors and launched with a subscriber base of 30,000, is an affiliate of NJ.com . As of July 2015, the publisher was Joseph P. Owens. Initially, the paper's main office took over the Gloucester County Times offices in Woodbury , with a satellite office in the former Today's Sunbeam office in Salem , until all operations were consolidated in a new building in Mullica Hill in 2015. On Sept. 14, 2023,
8874-657: The state of New Jersey. In 2019, the Atlantic City area had the highest rates of foreclosures in the nation. This has disproportionately affected Black residents in neighborhoods segregated by redlining , a legacy that is mirrored by the values of properties on the Monopoly game board. After several casino closures and the COVID-19 pandemic , strikes and pickets were being threatened in June 2022 by casino employees which were short-staffed and wanted pay raises. Atlantic City
8976-412: The state saw a drop in money from its 8% tax on those earnings, which is used to fund programs for senior citizens and the disabled. On October 29, 2012, " Superstorm Sandy " struck Atlantic City and caused flooding and power-outages but left minimal damage to any of the tourist areas. The storm produced an all-time record low barometric pressure reading of 943 mb (27.85") for not only Atlantic City, but
9078-585: The state to initiate the landmark ruling, New Jersey was actually the third state to legalize sports betting after Nevada and Delaware . In June 2018, New Jersey governor Phil Murphy signed the legislation into law, and several New Jersey–based casino brands subsequently opened sportsbooks , especially in Atlantic City. With the redevelopment of the Las Vegas Strip and the opening of Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun in Connecticut in
9180-413: The surrounding Atlantic County, are culturally tied to Philadelphia and constitute part of the larger Philadelphia metropolitan area or Delaware Valley , the nation's seventh-largest metropolitan area as of 2020. Located in South Jersey on Absecon Island and known for its taxis , casinos , nightlife , boardwalk , and Atlantic Ocean beaches and coastline , the city is prominently known as
9282-520: The time for the contract expired, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) announced that the deal with Village Super Market (VSM) was dead and that they were looking for new contenders. VSM created a new plan for CRDA and the city's Council to review and by July 2023, it and a Chinese conglomerate headquartered in Hong Kong emerged as the two candidates to build the supermarket. However, as of November 2023, no further progress had been made on
9384-403: The township was renamed Cherry Hill . In contrast, nearby Camden declined from 125,000 residents in 1950 to 85,000 in 1980. While the South Jersey suburbs remain general middle-class, the inner cities continue to face issues with crime, poverty, and unemployment. Albert Freeman, a Mount Holly newspaper publisher and editor, wrote an editorial calling for secession. Freeman originally meant
9486-408: The urban problems that plagued Atlantic City. Many people have suggested that it only served to exacerbate those problems, as attested to by the stark contrast between tourism intensive areas and the adjacent impoverished working-class neighborhoods. While Atlantic City has been less popular than Las Vegas as a gambling city in the United States, Donald Trump helped bring big name boxing bouts to
9588-626: The wider Philadelphia metropolitan area are situated near the center of the Northeast megalopolis and have become a U.S. East Coast epicenter for logistics and warehouse construction; Salem County, the lower portion of Gloucester County, and the upper portion of Cumberland County additionally serve as residential communities for the petrochemical industry of New Castle County, Delaware . South Jersey shore communities, including Atlantic City and others in Atlantic and Cape May counties, have
9690-401: Was also voted part of Central Jersey. Camden , located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia , has historically been considered the economic hub of South Jersey. Much of Camden's growth resulted from its location near Philadelphia and its role as a regional transportation hub. For decades following World War II , Camden suffered a prolonged economic decline and high crime rate due to
9792-523: Was built in stages and was completed in 1929, at eleven stories. By this time, they were under the same ownership and merged into the Chalfonte-Haddon Hall Hotel , becoming the city's largest hotel with nearly 1,000 rooms. By 1930, the Claridge, the city's last large hotel before the casinos, opened its doors. The 400-room Claridge was built by a partnership that included renowned Philadelphia contractor John McShain . At 24 stories, it would become known as
9894-506: Was claimed by the Dutch in 1609, the Dutch used the region primarily for trading purposes. In 1638, New Sweden was established along the Delaware River . The Swedes established two permanent settlements in present-day South Jersey: Swedesboro and Bridgeport , formerly named New Stockholm. New Sweden was captured by the Dutch in 1655, and remained part of New Netherland until its cession to
9996-471: Was home to Wistarburg, the first successful glass factory in the colonies, operating for close to 50 years prior to the Revolutionary War. When that factory closed, the workers spread throughout the region to South Jersey towns, including Millville , Vineland Bridgeton , Hammonton , and Glassboro where they established new companies. Recent research has uncovered evidence that, in addition to
10098-529: Was incorporated in 1854, 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
10200-466: Was largely unenforced in Atlantic City. Because alcohol that had been smuggled into the city with the implicit approval of local officials, it was easily obtained at restaurants and other establishments, and the resort's popularity grew further. The city then dubbed itself as "The World's Playground". Nucky Johnson's income, which reached as much as $ 500,000 annually, came from the kickbacks he took on illegal liquor, gambling and prostitution operating in
10302-602: Was put up for sale, however as no suitable bids were received the resort closed its doors in September 2014. The property was bought by AC Ocean Walk, LLC for $ 200 million in 2017, and reopened in 2018 as Ocean Casino Resort. In the wake of the closures and declining revenue from casinos, Governor Christie said in September 2014 that the state would consider a 2015 referendum to end the 40-year-old monopoly that Atlantic City holds on casino gambling and allowing gambling in other municipalities. With casino revenue declining from $ 5.2 billion in 2006 to $ 2.9 billion in 2013,
10404-959: Was the world's largest shipyard. The Victor Talking Machine Company , founded in 1901, became the leading American producer of phonographs and phonograph records . Like many American cities after World War II , South Jersey cities where heavy manufacturing was a predominant industry declined as factories closed and residents moved away. Suburbanization of the region was fueled by the construction of new highways and bridges, and increased automobile ownership. The New Jersey Turnpike opened in 1951, permitting fast travel by car between New York and Delaware . In 1955, William Levitt built present-day Willingboro based on his Levittown model, which came to be used for other suburban developments. The population of Delaware Township in Camden County rose explosively after World War II, growing from about 10,000 residents in 1950 to almost 65,000 by 1970. In 1961,
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