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1940 Map of Atlantic City

Name: 1940 Topographic Map of Atlantic City
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1953
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1953

About this map

Atlantic City's iconic early-century shoreline and boardwalk are documented in this 1940 aerial survey, capturing the New Jersey coast just before the wartime shifts of the 1940s. The map illustrates a dense landscape of famous ocean landmarks, including the Steel Pier, Heinz Pier, and the Youngs Million Dollar Pier. These structures extend into the Atlantic Ocean from the city's grid, which was already well-connected to the mainland via Absecon Boulevard and the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines.

Beyond the urban core, the map reveals a complex coastal ecosystem of bays and tidal thorofares, from Reed Bay to Little Bay. The neighboring communities of Brigantine City, Ventnor, and Margate City appear as burgeoning coastal developments amidst a labyrinth of wetlands and inlets, such as Absecon Inlet and Little Egg Inlet. Historic settlements like Oceanville and Leeds Point anchor the mainland portion, showing the contrast between established interior villages and the rapidly growing resort destination of the Jersey Shore.