In June of 1870, the first section of the Atlantic City Boardwalk opened.
Dr. Jonathan Pitney and civil engineer Richard Osborne began developing the area on Absecon Island in the early 1850s.
Long before this time, members of the Lenni-Lenape tribe were the first seasonal visitors to enjoy the summer splendor of the island.
On June 26, 1870 the Atlantic City Boardwalk was dedicated. Built at a reported cost of $5,000, it was 10 feet wide in sections of 12 feet long.
No commercial ventures of any kind were permitted within 30 feet of it, and at the end of each summer season for many years, the boardwalk was taken apart and stored during the winter months.
It was the first boardwalk of its kind in the United States. Since then, the boardwalk has been extended and reconstructed numerous times. The current herringbone pattern dates to 1916.
Today, the length of the Atlantic City Boardwalk is a little more than four miles and holds the distinction of being the longest wooden walkway in the world. At the widest point, it is 60 feet across and it stands 12 feet above sea level.
Credit: Real Brigantine
