This Jersey Shore town became America’s sin city under one man’s velvet hammer rule

Atlantic City Boardwalk, New Jersey

While America went dry in 1920, Atlantic City’s boardwalk became the wettest place on the East Coast besides being an entertainment center.

Gangsters controlled the piers, politicians took bribes, and tourists came for illegal booze and gambling behind the scenes.

The World’s Playground connected dozens of speakeasies hidden inside grand hotels, all protected under political boss Nucky Johnson.

This is how the boardwalk became America’s most famous den of vice.

Napoleon of the Boardwalk Rose to Power

Enoch “Nucky” Johnson controlled Atlantic City during Prohibition. His influence peaked in the 1920s when he managed both politics and illegal enterprises.

Johnson worked from a ninth-floor Ritz Carlton Hotel suite. People spotted him by his red carnation lapel pin and full raccoon coat in winter.

He made about $500,000 from kickbacks on illegal alcohol, gambling, and prostitution which he later distributed through the community to maintain power.

The 1929 Mobster Conference Under Nucky

Nucky Johnson organized a historic meeting of crime bosses in May 1929. Gang leaders from across America came to Atlantic City.

Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, and Meyer Lansky attended the week-long gathering. They divided territories and set up cooperation rules.

This meeting created the foundation for organized crime in America while Johnson’s control of local police guaranteed privacy.

Prohibition Era Speakeasies Ignored the Law

From 1919-1933, bars, restaurants, and clubs served alcohol openly while police looked away. Ships carrying contraband liquor anchored offshore nightly.

The Paradise Club on Illinois Avenue claimed status as America’s oldest nightclub. It pioneered “breakfast shows” with performances until dawn.

Count Basie, Ethel Waters, and Duke Ellington played for predominantly white audiences as patrons drank smuggled whiskey.

Scene of the Bordellos & Secret Clubs

By the 1890s there were over 100 brothels in Atlantic City through the 1920s.

Clubs like Babette’s and Clicquot Club served as speakeasies and brothels. They operated openly, paying fees to Johnson’s machine.

Areas like Westminster Place, later nicknamed Snake Alley, alongside what was called the Tenderloin District, clustered along the side streets.

Federal and state raids were rare and often scripted. Even the Madams were tipped off, “women were moved elsewhere,” and business resumed.

Gambling Wasn’t Hidden, It Was Business

Slot machines clinked in barber shops, boardwalk arcades, and even church basements. Brands like Mills and Jennings paid in nickels or cigars.

Everything kicked up to Nucky Johnson as operators paid weekly fees to keep roulette wheels, craps tables, and poker games spinning.

The 500 Club offered booze, jazz, and backroom betting. Nucky’s fixers collected envelopes straight to his Ritz-Carlton suite.

Raids? Only if Johnson allowed it since he had crooked cops on payroll.

Steel Pier’s Heyday Was a Mere Distraction

Steel Pier extended 1,621 feet into the Atlantic Ocean, calling itself “The Showplace of the Nation” throughout the 1920s.

But it ran parallel to Johnson’s operations.

While vice thrived just blocks away, this carefully curated spot helped distract, dazzle, and draw crowds to its theaters, exhibits, and carnival games.

William “Doc” Carver created the famous diving horse act, where horses jumped 40 feet into water with riders on their backs.

Broadway Tryout Town Launched Careers

Theater producers tested shows in Atlantic City before Broadway in the 1920s.

Shows opened in Atlantic City to see how audiences reacted. Writers and directors made changes based on local response before New York premieres.

Hollywood stars performed on these stages before becoming cinematic legends. Actors like Humphrey Bogart started in these seaside theaters.

According to an article in Shore Local News, “Boardwalk Empire” helped revive interest in 1920s Atlantic City and its theatrical past.

Visiting Atlantic City Boardwalk Today

The Atlantic City Boardwalk today feels like stepping into a surreal mix of gritty nostalgia and neon reinvention. You can access it for free at any hour.

The wooden walkway runs along the shore from Absecon Inlet to Ventnor City. Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall (2301 Boardwalk) offers historic tours for $15.

Steel Pier (1000 Boardwalk) opens daily from May through September on weekends in spring and fall.

Ride tickets cost $2 each with bulk discounts available.

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