Atlantic County is a county located along the southern coast of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the

2020 U.S. census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, the county had a population of 274,534.DP1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Atlantic County, New Jersey
United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 30, 2013. Its county seat is the

Mays Landing Mays Landing is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Hamilton Township, Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

section of Hamilton Township.New Jersey County Map

New Jersey Department of State The secretary of state of New Jersey oversees the Department of State, which is one of the original state offices. The Secretary is responsible for overseeing artistic, cultural, and historical programs within the U.S. state of New Jersey, as we ...

. Accessed July 10, 2017. Geographically, the county is part of the

South Jersey South Jersey comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of New Jersey located between the lower Delaware River and the Atlantic Ocean. The designation of South Jersey with a distinct toponym is a colloquialism rather than an administrative ...

region. The most populous place was Egg Harbor Township, with 43,323 residents at the time of the 2010 Census;

Galloway Township Galloway Township is a township in Atlantic County,in the U.S. state of New Jersey. At of total area of land and water, Galloway Township is the largest municipality in the state.Atlantic City Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, Boardwalk (entertainment district), boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020 United States censu ...

– Hammonton Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also part of the

Delaware Valley The Delaware Valley is a metropolitan region on the East Coast of the United States that comprises and surrounds Philadelphia, the sixth most populous city in the nation and 68th largest city in the world as of 2020. The toponym Delaware Val ...

Combined Statistical Area.

History

Etymology

The county was named after the Atlantic Ocean, which borders the county's eastern coast.

History

Since the 6th millennium BC, Indigenous people have inhabited New Jersey. By the 17th century, the Absegami tribe of the Unalachtigo Lenape tribe – "people near the ocean" – stayed along the streams and back bays of what is now Atlantic County. The group referred to the broader area as ''Scheyichbi'' – "land bordering the ocean". European settlement by the Dutch,

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

, and England contributed to the demise of the indigenous people. In 1674, West Jersey was established, and its provincial government designated the court of

Burlington County Burlington County is a county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The county is the largest by area in New Jersey. Its county seat is Mount Holly.

in 1681, splitting off Gloucester County five years later from the southern portion. This county was bounded by the Mullica River to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Great Egg Harbor River and Tuckahoe River to the south. Great Egg Harbour Township, also called ''New Weymouth'' and later just ''Egg Harbor'', was designated in 1693 from the eastern portions of Gloucester County. The region's early settlers, many of them Quakers, lived along the area's waterways. In 1695, John Somers purchased of land on the northern shore of the Great Egg Harbor Bay in 1695, the same year he began ferry service across the bay to Cape May County. His son, Richard, built

Somers Mansion Somers Mansion is a historic house at Shore Road and Somers Point Circle in Somers Point, New Jersey, United States. It was built in 1725 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. See also * National Register of Historic ...

between 1720 and 1726, which is the oldest home in existence in the county. Daniel Leeds first surveyed the coastal waters of Egg Harbor in 1698, eventually finding Leeds Point. In 1735 according to folklore, Mother Leeds gave birth and cursed her 13th child in Leeds Point, which became known as the Jersey Devil. In the early 18th century, George May founded

Mays Landing Mays Landing is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Hamilton Township, Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

. In 1774, the northern portion of Egg Harbor Township became

Galloway Township Galloway Township is a township in Atlantic County,in the U.S. state of New Jersey. At of total area of land and water, Galloway Township is the largest municipality in the state. In 1785, residents in what is now Atlantic County requested to split from Gloucester County to the New Jersey legislature, wanting a local court. Mays Landing – the region's largest community at the time, had more saloons than churches. Criminals could escape custody before reaching Gloucester City on a four-day wagon ride. In 1798, the western portion split off to become Weymouth Township, and in 1813, the northwestern portion partitioned to become Hamilton Township. On February 7, 1837, the New Jersey legislature designated ''Atlantic County'' from Galloway, Hamilton, Weymouth, and Egg Harbor townships, choosing Mays Landing as the county seat. In the same year, the Board of Freeholders was established as the county government. As of the 1830 census, the townships making up Atlantic County only had a population of 8,164, making it the least populated New Jersey county. By that time, a continuous line of houses extended from

Somers Point Somers Point is a city that is the oldest settlement in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It was settled by Europeans in 1693 and was incorporated as a borough in 1886. Somers Point was incorporated as a city in 1902. As of the 2 ...

to Absecon.

Mullica Township Mullica Township is a township in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 5,816, a decrease of 331 (−5.4%) from the 2010 census count of 6,147, which in turn reflect ...

was established from Galloway Township in 1837. In 1852, Dr.

Jonathan Pitney Dr. Jonathan Pitney (October 2, 1797 – August 7, 1869), considered the Father of Atlantic City, New Jersey, was a physician who promoted Absecon Island as a healing seashore resort. Biography Born in Mendham Borough, New Jersey in October 29, ...

recommended Absecon Island as a health resort, and formed the Camden and Atlantic Railroad Company to construct the line from

Camden Camden may refer to: People * Camden (surname), a surname of English origin * Camden Joy (born 1964), American writer * Camden Toy (born 1957), American actor Places Australia * Camden, New South Wales * Camden, Rosehill, a heritage res ...

to the coast. The company purchased land from Atlantic and Galloway Townships in 1853, then promoted and sold the lots.

Atlantic City Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, Boardwalk (entertainment district), boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020 United States censu ...

formed on May 1, 1854, in advance of the rail line opening on July 4 of that year. In 1858, Egg Harbor City was formed from portions of Galloway and Mullica townships. In 1866, Hammonton was founded from Hamilton and Mullica townships. A year later, portions of Hamilton Township split off to become Buena Vista Township. In 1872, Absecon was split from portions of Egg Harbor and Galloway townships. By 1885, more than half of the county's population lived in Atlantic City, and by 1910 this more than two-thirds of the county lived there. With more people moving to the area in the late 1800s into the early 1900s, several municipalities were created in short succession – Margate (then called ''South Atlantic City'') in 1885, Somers Point in 1886, Pleasantville and Linwood in 1889,

Brigantine A brigantine is a two-masted sailing vessel with a fully square-rigged foremast and at least two sails on the main mast: a square topsail and a gaff sail mainsail (behind the mast). The main mast is the second and taller of the two masts. Older ...

in 1890, Longport in 1898,

Ventnor Ventnor () is a seaside resort and civil parish established in the Victorian era on the southeast coast of the Isle of Wight, England, from Newport. It is situated south of St Boniface Down, and built on steep slopes leading down to the sea. ...

in 1903,

Northfield Northfield may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Northfield, Aberdeen, Scotland * Northfield, Edinburgh, Scotland * Northfield, Birmingham, England * Northfield (Kettering BC Ward), Northamptonshire, England United States * Northfield, Connec ...

and Port Republic in 1905, and

Folsom Folsom may refer to: People * Folsom (surname) Places in the United States * Folsom, Perry County, Alabama * Folsom, Randolph County, Alabama * Folsom, California * Folsom, Georgia * Folsom, Louisiana * Folsom, Missouri * Folsom, New Jersey * ...

in 1906. On May 17, 1906, the eastern coastal boundary of Atlantic County was established. The final municipalities in the county to be created were Corbin City from Weymouth Township in 1922, Estell Manor from Weymouth Township in 1925, and Buena from Buena Township in 1948. In 1938, the county's western border was clarified with Camden and Burlington counties using geographic coordinates. After a peak in prominence in the 1920s during the prohibition era, Atlantic City began declining in population in the 1950s as tourism declined. The county's growth shifted to the mainland. In 1973, the New Jersey Coastal Area Facilities Review Act required additional state permitting for construction in the eastern half of the county. In the same ballot as the 1976 presidential election, 56.8% of New Jersey voters approved an initiative to allow legalized gambling in Atlantic City. Two years later, Resorts Atlantic City opened as the first casino in the city, and there were 15 by 1990. Since then, five have closed, including four in 2014, while two casinos – the Borgata and

Ocean Resort Casino Ocean Casino Resort (formerly Revel Casino Hotel Atlantic City) is a resort, hotel and casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. It is the northernmost casino on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, located on of land, adjacent to the Showboat Hotel. It i ...

– have opened.

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City (formerly Trump Taj Mahal) is a casino and hotel on the Boardwalk, owned by Hard Rock International, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The casino, originally known as the ''Trump Taj Mahal,'' was inaugura ...

opened in 2018, refurbishing the former Trump Taj Mahal. In 1978, Congress created the

Pinelands National Reserve New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve (also known as Pinelands National Reserve) is a national reserve that encompasses the New Jersey Pine Barrens. The Pinelands is a unique location of historic villages and berry farms amid the vast oak ...

, which created the Pinelands Commission and a management policy for the seven counties in the Pine Barrens, including Atlantic County. Concurrent with the 1980 Presidential election, Atlantic County residents voted in favor to create a new state of

, along with five other counties in a nonbinding referendum.

Geography

Atlantic County is located about 100 mi (160 km) south of New York City and about 60 mi (100 km) southeast of Philadelphia. It is roughly in width by in height. According to the 2010 Census, the county had a total area of , including of land (82.7%) and of water (17.3%). It is the third largest county in New Jersey, behind Ocean County and Burlington County. The county lies along the

Atlantic Coastal Plain The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the "Old World" of Afr ...

, with sea level and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Adjacent to the coast are three barrier islands – Absecon Island (Which contains Atlantic City, Ventnor, Margate, and Longport),

Brigantine Island Brigantine Island (also known as Brigantine Beach Island) is an island off the Atlantic Ocean coast of New Jersey, located northeast of Atlantic City. It is long. The resort community of Brigantine is located on the island. The island is accessi ...

, and Little Beach. To the west of the barrier islands, 4 mi (6 km) stretch of marshlands, inlets, and waterways connect and form the Intracoastal Waterway. Beneath the county is a mile of clay and sand that contains the Kirkwood–Cohansey aquifer, which supplies fresh groundwater for all of the streams and rivers in the region. The interior of the county is part of the Pine Barrens, which covers the southern third of New Jersey, and is prone to forest fires. Lowland areas are swampy and contain

pitch pine ''Pinus rigida'', the pitch pine, is a small-to-medium-sized pine. It is native to eastern North America, primarily from central Maine south to Georgia and as far west as Kentucky. It is found in environments which other species would find unsuit ...

white cedar White cedar may refer to several different trees: * Bignoniaceae ** ''Tabebuia heterophylla'' - native to Caribbean islands and also cultivated as an ornamental tree * Cupressaceae: ** ''Chamaecyparis thyoides'' – Atlantic white cypress ** ''Cup ...

trees. Upland areas in the west of the county are hilly, containing oak and pine trees. The highest elevation in the county – about above sea level – is found near the border with Camden County, just west of Hammonton. The county's western boundary with Burlington and Camden counties, clarified in 1761, is a manmade line about halfway between the Atlantic Ocean and the Delaware Bay.

Climate

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Mays Landing have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in February 1979 and a record high of was recorded in June 1969. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in February to in March. The county has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

(''Cfa''). Average monthly temperatures in central Atlantic City range from 33.9 °F in January to 75.2 °F in July, while in Folsom they range from 32.7 °F in January to 76.3 °F in July

In December 1992, a December 1992 nor'easter, nor'easter produced the highest tide on record in Atlantic City, above mean lower low water. Former Hurricane Sandy struck near Brigantine as an

extratropical cyclone Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are low-pressure areas which, along with the anticyclones of high-pressure areas, drive the weather over much of the Earth. Extratropical cyclones are capable of ...

, which produced an all-time minimum barometric pressure of and wind gusts to in Atlantic City, as well as a

storm surge A storm surge, storm flood, tidal surge, or storm tide is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low-pressure weather systems, such as cyclones. It is measured as the rise in water level above the n ...

that inundated low-lying areas. Three people died in the county during the storm, and damage was estimated at $300 million (2012 USD).

Demographics

2020 Census

2010 Census

Government

County government

In 1974, Atlantic County voters changed the county governmental form under the Optional County Charter Law to the County executive form. Atlantic County joins Bergen, Essex,

Hudson Hudson may refer to: People * Hudson (given name) * Hudson (surname) * Henry Hudson, English explorer * Hudson (footballer, born 1986), Hudson Fernando Tobias de Carvalho, Brazilian football right-back * Hudson (footballer, born 1988), Hudso ...

and

Mercer Mercer may refer to: Business * Mercer (car), a defunct American automobile manufacturer (1909–1925) * Mercer (consulting firm), a large human resources consulting firm headquartered in New York City * Mercer (occupation), a merchant or trader ...

counties as one of the five of 21 New Jersey counties with an elected executive. The charter provides for a directly elected executive and a nine-member

Board of County Commissioners A county commission (or a board of county commissioners) is a group of elected officials (county commissioners) collectively charged with administering the county government in some states of the United States; such commissions usually comprise ...

, responsible for legislation. The executive is elected to a four-year term and the freeholders are elected to staggered three-year terms, of which four are elected from the county on an

at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather than ...

basis and five of the freeholders represent equally populated

districts A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...

.Atlantic County Board of County Commissioners
Atlantic County, New Jersey. Accessed October 9, 2022. In 2016, freeholders were paid $20,000 a year, while the freeholder chairman was paid an annual salary of $21,500. , Atlantic County's Executive is Republican Dennis Levinson, whose four-year term of office ends December 31, 2023. Members of the Board of County Commissioners are (with terms for chair and vice-chair ending every December 31st): Pursuant to Article VII Section II of the

New Jersey State Constitution The Constitution of the State of New Jersey is the basic governing document of the State of New Jersey. In addition to three British Royal Charters issued for East Jersey, West Jersey and united New Jersey while they were still colonies, the sta ...

, each county in New Jersey is required to have three elected administrative officials known as "constitutional officers." These officers are the

County Clerk A clerk is a white-collar worker who conducts general office tasks, or a worker who performs similar sales-related tasks in a retail environment. The responsibilities of clerical workers commonly include record keeping, filing, staffing service ...

and County Surrogate (both elected for five-year terms of office) and the County Sheriff (elected for a three-year term). Atlantic County's constitutional officers are: The Atlantic County Prosecutor is William E. Reynolds of Absecon, New Jersey, who took office in June 2022 after being nominated the previous month on May 16, 2022 by Governor of New Jersey Phil Murphy and receiving confirmation on August 8, 2022 from the

New Jersey Senate The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts with an average population of 232, ...

. Atlantic County, along with Cape May County, is part of Vicinage 1 of New Jersey Superior Court. The Atlantic County Civil Courthouse Complex is in Atlantic City, while criminal cases are heard in May's Landing; the Assignment Judge for Vicinage 1 is Michael Blee A.J.S.C.

Federal representatives

The 2nd Congressional District covers all of Atlantic County.

State representatives

Politics

In national elections, Atlantic County leans Democratic, in contrast to the other three counties on the

Jersey Shore The Jersey Shore (known by locals simply as the Shore) is the coastal region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. Geographically, the term encompasses about of oceanfront bordering the Atlantic Ocean, from Perth Amboy in the north to Cape May Po ...

–

Monmouth Monmouth ( , ; cy, Trefynwy meaning "town on the Monnow") is a town and community in Wales. It is situated where the River Monnow joins the River Wye, from the Wales–England border. Monmouth is northeast of Cardiff, and west of London. I ...

, Ocean, and Cape May counties–which tend to lean heavily Republican. It has not voted for a Republican presidential candidate since

George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker BushSince around 2000, he has been usually called George H. W. Bush, Bush Senior, Bush 41 or Bush the Elder to distinguish him from his eldest son, George W. Bush, who served as the 43rd president from 2001 to 2009; pr ...

in 1988. However, it is considered a swing county in down-ballot races, and Republicans hold all of its seats in the state legislature. As of August 1, 2020, there were a total of 195,965 registered voters in Atlantic County, of whom 71,142 (36.3%) were registered as Democrats, 52,513 (26.8%) were registered as

Republicans Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

and 69,466 (35.5%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2,844 (1.5%) voters registered to other parties. Among the county's 2010 Census population, 62.5% were registered to vote, including 76.7% of those ages 18 and over.Statewide Voter Registration Summary
,

Division of Elections, as of October 31, 2014. Accessed May 11, 2015. In the

2020 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2020 lists the national/federal elections held in 2020 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *5 January: **C ...

, Democrat Joe Biden received 73,808 votes (52.7%) in the county, ahead of Republican Donald Trump with 64,438 (46.0%). In the

2016 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2016 lists the national/federal elections held in 2016 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *7 January: Kirib ...

, Democrat Hillary Clinton received 60,924 votes (51.0%) in the county, ahead of Republican Donald Trump with 52,690 votes (44.1%), and other candidates with 3,677 (3.1%). In the

2012 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2012 lists the national/federal elections held in 2012 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *3–4 January: E ...

, Democrat Barack Obama received 65,600 votes (57.9%) in the county, ahead of Republican

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts f ...

with 46,522 votes (41.1%) and other candidates with 1,057 votes (0.9%), among the 113,231 ballots cast by the county's 172,204 registered voters, for a turnout of 65.8%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 67,830 votes (56.5%) in Atlantic County, ahead of Republican

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms ...

with 49,902 votes (41.6%) and other candidates with 1,310 votes (1.1%), among the 120,074 ballots cast by the county's 176,316 registered voters, for a turnout of 68.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 35,724 votes (47.7%), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 33,361 votes (44.5%), Independent

Chris Daggett Christopher Jarvis Daggett (born March 7, 1950) is an American businessman who is the president and CEO of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, one of the largest foundations in New Jersey. A former regional administrator of the United States En ...

with 3,611 votes (4.8%) and other candidates with 913 votes (1.2%), among the 74,915 ballots cast by the county's 166,958 registered voters, yielding a 44.9% turnout. In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 43,975 votes in the county (60.0%), ahead of Democrat

Barbara Buono Barbara A. Buono (born July 28, 1953) is an American politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 2002 to 2014, where she represented the 18th Legislative District. She served from 2010 to 2012 as the Majority Leader in the Senate, succ ...

with 25,557 votes (34.9%) and other candidates with 947 votes (1.3%), among the 73,258 ballots cast by the county's 176,696 registered voters, yielding a 41.5% turnout. In the 2017 gubernatorial election, Republican

Kim Guadagno Kimberly Ann Guadagno (; ''née'' McFadden; born April 13, 1959) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the first lieutenant governor and 33rd secretary of state of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. Guadagno was the Republican nominee f ...

received 28,456 (42.5%) of the vote, and Democrat Phil Murphy received 36,952 (55.1%) of the vote. In the 2021 gubernatorial election, Republican Jack Ciattarelli received 55.3% of the vote (44,977 ballots cast) to Democrat Phil Murphy's 44.0% (35,736 votes), making it one of the three counties that Ciattarelli flipped Republican.

Economy

Based on data from the

Bureau of Economic Analysis The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the United States Department of Commerce is a U.S. government agency that provides official economy of the United States, macroeconomic and industry statistics, most notably reports about the gross domestic ...

, Atlantic County had a gross domestic product (GDP) of $12.9 billion in 2018, which was ranked 15th in the state and represented an increase of 3.5% from the previous year. When Atlantic County was first established in 1837, its sparse population subsided on clams, oysters, and fishing. An early industry was shipbuilding, using the sturdy oak trees of the Pine Barrens. Bog iron furnaces opened in the early 1800s, but declined by the 1850s due to the growth of the Philadelphia iron industry. Around this time, several people and cotton mills opened. The first railroad across the county opened in 1854, intended to assist the bog iron industry; instead, it spurred development in Atlantic City, as well as the growth of farming towns. Farmers began growing grapes, cranberries, and blueberries. The competition dropped the price of travel to 50¢, affordable for Philadelphia's working class. Travelers often brought their lunch in shoe boxes, leading to their nickname "

shoobie Shoobie is a New Jersey, Delaware, and Southern California slang term for a tourist who visits the seashore for a day (a daytripper) or summer-only residents. Shoobie is used in the Southern New Jersey coast (along with other parts of the east c ...

s". Legalized gambling and the growth of the casino industry employed more than 34,145 people as of 2012.

Breweries, distilleries, and wineries

In 1864, Louis Nicholas Renault brought property in Egg Harbor City and opened Renault Winery, the oldest active winery in New Jersey, and third-oldest in the United States. During the prohibition era, the winery obtained a government permit to sell wine tonic for medicinal purposes. Tomasello Winery grew its first vineyard in 1888, and opened to the public in 1933. Gross Highland Winery operated in Absecon from 1934 to 1987, when it was sold to developers. Balic Winery opened in 1966 in Mays Landing, although its vineyards date back to the early 19th century. Sylvin Farms Winery opened in 1985 in Egg Harbor City. In 2001, Bellview Winery opened in the Landisville section of Buena. A year later,

DiMatteo Vineyards DiMatteo Vineyards is a winery located in Hammonton in Atlantic County, New Jersey.

opened in Hammonton, and in 2007, Plagido's Winery opened in the same town. In 1998,

Tun Tavern Brewery Tun Tavern Restaurant & Brewery is a brewpub in Atlantic City in Atlantic County, New Jersey. The brewery opened to the public in 1998 and was named for the historical Tun Tavern, a colonial establishment located in Philadelphia from 1685–1781 ...

opened in Atlantic City across from the Atlantic City Convention Center, named after the original

Tun Tavern Tun Tavern was a tavern and brewery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which was a founding or early meeting place for a number of notable groups. It is traditionally regarded as the site where what became the United States Marine Corps held its fi ...

in Philadelphia, which was the oldest brew house in the country, opening in 1685. In 2015, Tuckahoe Brewing moved from Ocean View to a facility in Egg Harbor Township capable of producing four times the amount of beer. Garden State Beer Company opened in 2016 in Galloway. In 2018, Hidden Sands Brewery opened in Egg Harbor Township. In 2014, Lazy Eye Distillery opened in Richland in Buena Vista Township. Little Water Distillery opened in Atlantic City in 2016.

Municipalities

The 23 municipalities in Atlantic County (with 2010 Census data for population, housing units and area) are:

Education

Institutions of higher education in Atlantic County include: * Atlantic Cape Community College in

Mays Landing Mays Landing is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Hamilton Township, Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

serves students from both Atlantic and Cape May counties, having been created in 1964 as the state's second county college. Rutgers University offers an off-site program at Atlantic Cape Community College that allows students with an associate degree from an accredited college to earn a bachelor's degree from Rutgers. * Stockton University, in

Atlantic City School District Atlantic City School District is a comprehensive community public school district in Atlantic City, in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The district serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2020–21 schoo ...

Brigantine City School District The Brigantine Public Schools is a community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Brigantine, in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, co ...

(listed as K-12, but only has K-8) *

Buena Regional School District The Buena Regional School District is a comprehensive regional public school district serving students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade from Buena Borough and Buena Vista Township, two municipalities in Atlantic County, New Jersey, Un ...

* Corbin City School District (non-operating school district) * Egg Harbor Township School District *

Estell Manor City School District Estell Manor School District is a community public school district in Estell Manor, in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised ...

(listed as K-12, but only has K-8) *

Folsom Borough School District Folsom Borough School District is a community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Folsom, in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The district participates in the Interdistrict Public ...

(listed as K-12, but only has K-8) * Hammonton Town School District * Longport Borough School District (non-operating school district) * Margate City School District (listed as K-12, but only has K-8) * Pleasantville City School District * Port Republic City School District (listed as K-12, but only has K-8) * Ventnor City School District (listed as K-12, but only has K-8) * Weymouth Township School District (listed as K-12, but only has K-8) Secondary: * Greater Egg Harbor Regional School District * Mainland Regional School District Elementary: *

Egg Harbor City School District The Egg Harbor City School District is a comprehensive community public school district responsible for the education of children in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Egg Harbor City, in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As ...

Galloway Township School District The Galloway Township Public Schools are a community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Galloway Township, in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2021–22 scho ...

Hamilton Township School District The Hamilton Township School District is a comprehensive community public school district, serving students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade from Hamilton Township, in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. The district consists of ...

* Linwood City School District * Mullica Township School District *

Northfield City School District The Northfield Community Schools is a community public school district that serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade from the City of Northfield, in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2018–19 school year, the d ...

* Somers Point City School District

Health and police services

AtlantiCare AtlantiCare is a health system based in Atlantic County, serving southeastern New Jersey. An integrated system of services, it includes AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, the AtlantiCare Foundation, AtlantiCare Physician Group and AtlantiCare Hea ...

is the largest non-casino employer, with a staff of over 5,500 people over five counties, established in 1993 by the Atlantic City Medical Center Board of Governors. Atlantic City Hospital opened in 1898, becoming Atlantic City Medical Center in 1973. Two years later, the hospital built its Mainland Division in

Pomona Pomona may refer to: Places Argentina * Pomona, Río Negro Australia * Pomona, Queensland, Australia, a town in the Shire of Noosa * Pomona, New South Wales, Australia Belize * Pomona, Belize, a municipality in Stann Creek District Mexico ...

. AtlantiCare has also opened four urgent care centers. In 1928, Dr. Charles Ernst and Dr. Frank Inksetter built Atlantic Shores Hospital and Sanitarium in Somers Point as a private institute for the treatment of alcohol and drug dependency. In 1940, citizens turned the facility into the

not-for-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

Shore Medical Center Shore Medical Center, formerly Shore Memorial Hospital, is a full-service acute care community hospital located in Somers Point, New Jersey, serving Atlantic and Cape May counties. History In 1928, Dr. Charles Ernst and Dr. Frank Inksetter buil ...

, which has expanded over time to add more beds and units. In 1840, the first county jail opened in Mays Landing, designed by

Thomas Ustick Walter Thomas Ustick Walter (September 4, 1804 – October 30, 1887) was an American architect of German descent, the dean of American architecture between the 1820 death of Benjamin Latrobe and the emergence of H.H. Richardson in the 1870s. He was ...

, who also designed the U.S. Capital building. This facility was replaced by newer facilities in 1932, 1962, and the current Gerard L. Gormley Justice Facility in 1985, which can hold 1,000 inmates. The facility has controlled by the Atlantic County Department of Public Safety since 1987.

Parks and recreation

The nearest YMCA is the Cumberland Cape Atlantic YMCA in Vineland.

National protected areas

* Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge covers of coastal habitat in Atlantic and Ocean counties. *

Great Egg Harbor Scenic and Recreational River The Great Egg Harbor River is a river in South Jersey.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 1, 2011 It is one of the major rivers that traverse the largely pristine ...

runs from Camden County to Great Egg Harbor.

Transportation

The indigenous people of New Jersey developed a series of trails across the state, including one from current-day Absecon to Camden. Early transportation relied on the region's waterways. An early coastal road was constructed in 1716 from Somers Point to Nacote Creek in Port Republic. Roads into the county's interior were slow, unreliable, and muddy, with one main roadway along the Mullica River that eventually connected to

Burlington Burlington may refer to: Places Canada Geography * Burlington, Newfoundland and Labrador * Burlington, Nova Scotia * Burlington, Ontario, the most populous city with the name "Burlington" * Burlington, Prince Edward Island * Burlington Bay, no ...

. Roads later connected the region's industries in the 19th century, until the county's first railroad opened in 1854, which brought more people to the region. By 1870, the Camden and Atlantic Railroad Company carried 417,000 people each year. Also in that year, the Pleasantville and Atlantic Turnpike opened, crossing Beach Thorofare into Atlantic City. A railroad competitor, the

Philadelphia and Atlantic City Railway The Atlantic City Railroad was a Philadelphia and Reading Railway subsidiary that became part of Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines in 1933. At the end of 1925 it operated of road on of track; that year it reported 43 million ton-miles of rev ...

, opened in 1877 after only 90 days of construction. Other rail lines connected farms and cities throughout the county by the end of the 19th century. A notable railroad tragedy occurred on October 28, 1906, when three train cars derailed on a draw bridge into deep water in Beach Thorofare, killing 53 people, with only two survivors. Improved roads reduced the reliance on railroads by the 1950s. In the late 1800s, a bridge opened in Mays Landing, providing road access to the county's interior. The first car in Atlantic City was seen in 1899. By the 1890s, visitors began riding bicycles in the coastal resort towns, and thousands of people would ride from Camden to the coast on weekends. Amid pressure from motorists and cyclists, the county improved the conditions of the roads in the early 20th century. The first road bridge to Atlantic City opened in 1905, using Albany Avenue on what is now US 40/

322 __NOTOC__ Year 322 ( CCCXXII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Probianus and Iulianus (or, less frequently, year 1075 ' ...

. In 1916, the causeway that is now

New Jersey Route 152 Route 152 is a state highway in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. Route 152 begins at an intersection with County Route 620 (CR 620) and Bay Avenue in the city of Somers Point. The route heads along two causeways, ending at the fo ...

opened between Somers Point and Longport. In 1919, the White Horse Pike ( US 30) was completed from Atlantic City to Camden, and repaved through the county in 1925. Also in 1922, the Harding Highway (US 40) opened from Pennsville Township to Atlantic City, named after then-President Warren G. Harding. In 1928, the

Beesley's Point Bridge The Beesley's Point Bridge was a bridge in New Jersey, United States, that was built privately by the Ocean City Automobile Club in 1927. Completed in 1928, control of the bridge was acquired by the Beesley's Point Bridge Company. It was a toll br ...

opened, replacing the ferry between Somers Point and Cape May County. The Black Horse Pike (

US 322 U.S. Route 322 (US 322) is a long, east–west United States Highway, traversing Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The road is a spur of U.S. Route 22 and one of the original highways from 1926. A portion of it at one time was concurrent with ...

) opened in 1935, connecting Atlantic City to Camden. Most of the county's older bridges were replaced over time, although the oldest still in existence is a swing bridge from 1904 that crosses Nacote Creek in Port Republic. The

Great Egg Harbor Bridge The Great Egg Harbor Bridge is a series of four bridges along the Garden State Parkway in New Jersey, with Toll bridge, tolls collected in the southbound direction. It crosses the Great Egg Harbor Bay, connecting Upper Township, New Jersey, Upper ...

opened in 1956, marking the completion of the Garden State Parkway, which connected Cape May and Atlantic counties, continuing to North Jersey. In 1964, the Atlantic City Expressway opened between the Parkway and Camden County, and a year later was extended into Atlantic City. In 2001, the

Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector The Atlantic City–Brigantine Connector (officially the Atlantic City Expressway Connector; also known as the Atlantic City Connector or Brigantine Connector) is a connector freeway in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States. It is a extensi ...

was built, connecting the Expressway with Atlantic City's marina district. As early as 1990, the South Jersey Transportation Authority had plans to construct an Atlantic County Beltway as a

limited-access road A limited-access road, known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway, expressway, limited access freeway, and partial controlled access highway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which ...

, beginning along Ocean Heights Avenue in southern Egg Harbor Township at a proposed Exit 32 with the Garden State Parkway. The proposed road would pass west of the Atlantic City Airport and reconnect with the Parkway at Exit 44 via County Route 575 in Galloway Township. The routing was later truncated from U.S. 40 (the Black Horse Pike) to Exit 44 on the Parkway. The project was considered "desirable" but was not funded.

Roads and highways

, the county had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the local municipality, by Atlantic County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and by either the

New Jersey Turnpike Authority The New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) is a state agency responsible for maintaining the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway, which are two toll roads in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The agency is headquartered in Woodbridge Towns ...

or South Jersey Transportation Authority.

Major highways

Major roadways include the Garden State Parkway (with of roadway in the county), the Atlantic City Expressway (),

U.S. Route 9 U.S. Route 9 (US 9) is a north–south United States highway in the states of Delaware, New Jersey, and New York in the Northeastern United States. It is one of only two U.S. Highways with a ferry connection (the Cape May–Lewes Ferry, between ...

, U.S. Route 30,

U.S. Route 40 U.S. Route 40 or U.S. Highway 40 (US 40), also known as the Main Street of America, is a major east–west United States Highway traveling across the United States from the Mountain States to the Mid-Atlantic States. As with most routes wh ...

U.S. Route 206 U.S. Route 206 (US 206) is a north–south United States highway in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, United States. Only about a half a mile (800 m) of its length is in Pennsylvania; the Milford–Montague Toll Bridge carries it over the Delawa ...

and

U.S. Route 322 U.S. Route 322 (US 322) is a long, east–west United States Highway, traversing Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The road is a spur of U.S. Route 22 and one of the original highways from 1926. A portion of it at one time was concurrent with ...

, as well as Route 49, Route 50,

Route 52 The following highways are numbered 52: Australia * Kings Highway (Australia) * Isis Highway ( Childers to Ban Ban Springs) - Queensland State Route 52 ( Wide Bay–Burnett Region) * Gillies Highway - Queensland State Route 52 (Far North Quee ...

, Route 54,

Route 87 The following highways are numbered 87: International * Asian Highway 87 * European route E87 Australia * Stuart Highway (A87, or Highway A87) * Kidman Way (New South Wales) * Surat Developmental Road (Queensland) Greece * Greek National ...

and Route 152.

Public transportation

NJ Transit's Atlantic City Line connects the Atlantic City Rail Terminal in

with the

30th Street Station 3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...

in Philadelphia, with service at intermediate stations at Hammonton, Egg Harbor City and Absecon in the county.South Jersey Transit Guide
, Cross County Connection, as of April 1, 2010. Accessed May 11, 2015.

Notes

References

External links

Atlantic County website

{{Authority control 1837 establishments in New Jersey Geography of the Pine Barrens (New Jersey) Jersey Shore Populated places established in 1837 South Jersey