Atlantic City Memory Lane

Submitted by Scott Davies from Denver CO. Entered on September 8, 2010
"Perhaps you know me or my family? I was born at AC Med Center in 1970.I grew up at 31 S. Stenton Place. There's a casino on it now. It was a huge 3 story classic AC Victorian boarding house and we had many widowed Jewish ladies living there. My grandmother bought it in 48' and then sold it to my parents in 78'. I went to Brighton Elementary,Chelsea Heights Elementary and then Chelsea Jr. High before moving to Colorado in 89'. I can still smell "the boards". On hot summer nights after dinner my whole family and a few of our tenants would all stroll to Million Dollar Pier together. We kids went on the rides and the adults sat and talked and smoked. I can still smell the combination of salt air,the wooden boards themselves,pizza,roasted peanuts,fudge and God knows what else all wrapped up in an intoxicating scent that permeated the whole boardwalk. I also can still recall the hot carbon electrical smell that the rides on Million Dollar Pier gave off. Especially the spook house ride. Relatives always came to visit from N. Jersey. We always had so much fun. My school pals always ran loose in the casinos until we got kicked out by the security guards who knew us by name.Everyone knew everyone back then. Sadly for me, our beautiful house was bought by Ramada(along with the rest of a whole block of beautiful historic Victorians) and torn down to make more room for the Tropicana so we moved over to Chelsea Heights to a MUCH smaller house. I'll write more when time permits. -Scott Davies -Denver CO" Edit Entry

Submitted by BOB from MAYS LANDING ,NJ. Entered on September 7, 2010
"I LIVED ON TAYLOR & GRAMMERCY AVE.WENT TO HOLY SPIRIT GRAMMER SCHOOL,WAS SMAKED AROUND BY SISTER HERMAN.GRADUATED FROM ACHS CLASS OF 62. AROUND 1958 I WORKED ON STEEPLECHASE PIER W/JACK BRADY&LEE WANUK.I WORKED THE BIG WHEEL GAME PLUS WORKED ON THE RIDES, TILT THE WORLD,THE ROUNDUP.JACK &LEE WORKED THE BASKET GAME & RING TOSS.WE USE TO GO CORNBLAUSES DELI ON VIRGINA & PACIFIC AVE AFTER WORK FOR A CORNBLAUE SPECIAL.NOTHING BUT GOOD MEMORYS OF AC INLET. " Edit Entry

Submitted by Bill Amadeo from Daytona Beach Fl. Entered on September 7, 2010
"Thelma, if you want a comprehensive history of the 500 Club, Skinny D'Amato and old AC get a copy of the Last Good Time by Jonathon Van Meter. It is a great book and you can buy it on line for about a dollar. Ive read it several times and find it to be about 98% accurate. By the way, barryrich.net is the best pictorial of Atlantic City that Ive ever seen." Edit Entry

Submitted by Fave place on earth from Haverford PA. Entered on September 5, 2010
"Barry Rich's website: barryrich.net (not barryrich.com)" Edit Entry

Submitted by Woody from Mays Landing, N..J.. Entered on September 5, 2010
"Thelma, The 500 Club was located at 6 South Missouri Ave in Atlantic City. The club opened in 1918. A fire destroyed the club, June 10, 1973. Look for the new series on Old Atlantic City called, "Boardwalk Empire" to premier September 19, 2010 on H.B.O." Edit Entry

Submitted by Thelma Meacci from Imperial PA. Entered on September 5, 2010
"My grandmother vacationed in A.C. every year. She went to the 500 Club. Was wondering. Where was the 500 Club located? I have a collection of drink stirs with 500 Club printed on them. Also, 8x10 photographs of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis performing there are in the collection." Edit Entry

Submitted by Kate from Mass.. Entered on September 3, 2010
"Ernest, the first mention of ATIS on this site was in 1997. It was cancelled in 2006. You can use the search. My memory was watching it in Ventnor. The swimmers came up the mile stretch into the intercoastal. I watched them just west of the Dorset Ave. bridge, since I was a little girl. ALSO, I remember in the bathtub as a toddler going in circles and doing the Around The Island Swim. " Edit Entry

Submitted by Woody from Mays Landing, N..J.. Entered on September 3, 2010
"Kate, Glad you mentioned Barrys site as he just added a lot of extra pictures. His site is Barry Rich.com Anything and everything from the old days of Atlantic City is on this site. Be prepared to spend hours just looking up all the old pictures. I loved the pictures of The Steel Pier Reunion of 2007 and look forward to having another one. Thanks Barry" Edit Entry

Submitted by Kate from Mass.. Entered on September 2, 2010
"Ride safe, Larry! I was just looking at Barry's site again. Have all you inlet kids looked at his Inlet street pictures? I love to look at the Marburg and Mid-City pics. That is my uptown stompin' grounds as a child. When I was old enough to shop, then Atlantic Av, and Barry has those pics also. Barry makes me wish I had carried a camera around with me as a kid. Who can explain the alley streets to me that are not on maps. What was their original purpose? To deliver the ice? " Edit Entry

Submitted by Dr. Michae Avery Ph.,RRT from Winslow, AZ. Entered on September 2, 2010
"just checking" Edit Entry

Submitted by Ernest Kuhl from michigan. Entered on September 2, 2010
"Of all the memories mentioned, no one that I recall has mentioned the yearly event, around the island swim contest. Leaving from the Steel Pier, advancing around Longport, entering the back bay, through Brigantine bridge, rounding the Y jetty and back to the pier. 26 or so miles. What a swim. All greased up and ready to swim." Edit Entry

Submitted by Larry Letzer from Copperas Cove, Texas. Entered on September 2, 2010
"Hi all, Will be out of town riding my trike for the next three days. If a bunch of garbage is on the site, I will delete it on my return after Labor Day. Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable holiday. Yeah, I miss this time of the year in AC. " Edit Entry

Submitted by John Sullivan from Bedford, PA (Saint Louis, MO). Entered on September 2, 2010
"Hey! Here's one! With Hurricane Earl heading up the coast and references to body surfing in recent posts, I recall the day in September of 1962 while gazing out the window of my eighth period senior chemistry class which happened to be in a room on the Atlantic Avenue side of ACHS (Teacher Ken Fetter), I suddenly realized that the surf was absolutely awesome to do some body surfing. About six of us hussled home and met at the Dorset Avenue beach for the greatest day of surfing we ever had. Looking back, we were crazy to go into the water after season with a huricane coming and all the rip currents associated with it. We were lucky - nobody died! Good memory, though. Pennente, Green, Bergman, Devine, Emmons! Crazy Ventnor Kids!" Edit Entry

Submitted by Elaine from Aston, Pa. Entered on September 1, 2010
"We've been going to A.C. since about 1999 ,to my father in law's timeshare at La Renaissance (Kentucky & Boardwalk). We get one week a year, oh how I wish it were more often! It's nice to have a place to come back to after a long day at the beach (and not have to drive home like every other trip we take to the shore (any of them, really). We walk the boards just about every night for the week and go out to eat dinner a couple of nights. People are usually pleasant, no matter which store(s) we choose to go in, the pizza, I think it's from Pappa T's?), the funnel cake, all good stuff. The Steel Pier is still GREAT for kids and grown-up's alike, they have a variety of rides for each age. One of the nights is out to A.C Bar & Grill for the surf and turf, and whatever dish the kids choose. Always excellent food and the service is usually pretty darn good. Getting something from the ice cream guy on the beach is a special treat, too. I know A.C isn't what it used to be (is anything?), but it's still a good place for families, and the memories will be good too :) I am in my early 40's and can "feel" the nostalgia when I'm there, and think of how it was in it's heyday. Sun surf and time with the ones you love, what can beat that? I have to add that, occasionally on the boardwalk, with young children, one of the places this past August, had music blaring that wasn't appropriate for kids to hear (there were references of sex that couldn't be missed, and we were walking by, not shopping there at the time). That and the number of bars in the city itself kind of turns me off, but I'll take it with a grain of salt and soak in all I can while I'm there. We even got to climb up all the steps of the Absecon Lighthouse, *whew* and had a fantastic view, although it's certainly changed, even in the past 10 yrs. A.C aquarium is nice too , for a nice day out. We also go to Wildwood Crest for Mother's Day each year and enjoy the serenity of the pre-season. " Edit Entry

Submitted by Eddie Lischin from Santa Cruz. Entered on September 1, 2010
"As a kid, Seaside Ave. beach was my home away from home. I learned to body surf the "T" jetty break with my Little league coach Hank MacDonald. We played Wiffle Ball in the hot sand against the Boardwalk and cooled off by playing "Quoits" down closer to the water. Maybe its because I was very young, but I have never found a better beach really and I have been to a lot of beaches in my life. I remember all those ACBP guards that have been previously mentioned. I talked to my brother yesterday who lives in Sea Isle City and he says in all his years he can't remember the water being any clearer or better than this year. I watched the news tonight and there is a major hurricane threatening the East Coast. Lets pray things don't get too bad especially for "The Jersey Shore". It's not what A.C. needs right now!" Edit Entry

Submitted by TM from Nfld, NJ. Entered on September 1, 2010
"For JL and Ratso: James S. Burwell (Bearcat), ACHS Class of 1962; Tom L. Cohen (Colt) ACHS Class of 1962; under Jimmy's class picture lists Activities: Varsity Football 3,4..." Edit Entry

Submitted by ratso from PA. Entered on September 1, 2010
"For JL, I could be wrong, but I recall 2 Burwell brothers one of whom I can picture and I always remember him as a steller football player at ACHS. He played on the team with Tom Cohen (circa 1960-61). I do remember the great ACBP rowers and Burwell among with Maxwell were 2 of them. I also remember Paul Lambrakis as a great swimmer. I was on ACHS swim team with him, Ward Holland, Frank Sinagra and more. I was at almost every lifeguard competition as a spectator. The greatest beach patrol in the world. Carsons was the spot. I helped deliver beer with my cousin to Carson's we always took our late lunch there with fried lobster tail and "crabettes" and beer of course. I am an Inlet boy too." Edit Entry

Submitted by ratso from PA. Entered on August 29, 2010
"Couple things: Jim Burwell was an ACHS dude...football and a serious ACBP lifeguard. He was in the class of 1962, I think. Nice guy. Miss America week was great. We made lots of $$$ on parade nigt selling parking spaces at Ambassador parking lot (eh Bevo?) and made more selling our spaces on the Boards (thanks Mr. Washel). AC was agreat place to grow up." Edit Entry

Submitted by Woody from Mays Landing, N..J.. Entered on August 28, 2010
"Tom, Us Baby Boomers will never forget the Miss America Week. In the 50's the family rented a 2nd floor of a duplex at the Boardwalk and Seaside Ave. I'll never forget the owner, Haskill Aronowitz. He owned the fur concession at Blatt's Deparmtent store. On the day of the Miss America Parade I would wake up and go out to the Boardwalk and visit as the floats would line up almost to Dewey Place. I met Marilyn Monroe, Newscaster, Douglas Edwards and that wonderful M.C, Bert Parks. They were the grand marshalls in the early 50's. I told this story before but I'll tell you again how one of the parade directors came over to me and asked if I knew of a mens room nearby. I said "You can use ours as it is right off of the boardwalk where we were standing. Now who else can say that Bert Parks used their potty?" Edit Entry

Submitted by TOM WHITEHEAD from fayetteville, ga.. Entered on August 27, 2010
"It`s almost that time of year-Labor Day week-end, but more important-The Miss America Pageant. Back then driving around A.C. with my parents seeing the signs on convertible with signs on them Miss and the name of the state. There was the big parade on the boardwalk and all the candy, they would toss off the floats - just two days till school starts at Park ave elementary in Pleasantville" Edit Entry