Garden Pier, Atlantic City
The 700 foot long Garden Pier was built in 1913 at the end of New Jersey Avenue. It had formal gardens at it's entrance that connected to an open air theater. At the ocean end there was a four story building that served as a ballroom, exhibition center and indoor theater. The ocean end of Garden Pier was destroyed by a hurricane in 1944. The part of the pier near, and on, the beach was restored and is now used as an Art Center and Historical Museum.
Garden Pier - 1920
Post Card by Post Card Distribution Co. - From the collection of Thomas Topham.
The Garden Pier hosted theatrical events, expositions, and even conventions.The first Golden Mermaid beauty contest, that was the forerunner of the Miss America Pageant took place at Garden Pier. It's ballroom became a very pooular dance palace. Rudolph Valentino began his career as a dance instructor at the Garden Pier Ballroom. Walt Whitman and the John Phillip Sousa band often played there.
Garden Pier - Another View - 1921.
Post Card by Virginia Post Card Co. - From the collection of Thomas Topham.
For twenty-two years the largest typewriter in the world, 1,728 times normal size, was on exhibit at Garden Pier. The typewriter was originally built by the Underwood Corporation for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition at San Francisco. It had a ribbon 100feet long and a bell you could hear from a long distance.
Garden Pier 2008
Garden Pier now houses an Art Center and the Atlantic City Historical Museum. Within the museum are a Mr. Peanut, a vintage boardwalk rolling chair, and many other items from Atlantic City's nostalgic bygone days.
Garden Pier Damaged Section
You can see the section of Garden Pier that was damaged by the hurricane of 1944. The pilings are still there.
Revel Entertainment is building a new casino directly opposite Garden Pier on the other side of the boardwalk. Revel may have ideas of buying Garden Pier and doing something interesting with it, in the future.
Thomas Topham -1951