Postcard:Young's Million Dollar Pier, At Night, Atlantic City, N.J.

In Atlantic City vacationers enjoyed hours of entertainment at the Million Dollar Pier, founded in 1906 by "Captain" John L. Young, an avid fisherman and local entrepreneur. Patrons enjoyed diverse attractions filling the 1775-foot long pier, including a glass-plated butterfly collection, an illuminated ballroom designed for roller skating, the large Hippodrome theatre and a three-story Italian Villa with the address of Number One Atlantic Ocean, an official stop on the U.S. Postal route. To accentuate the architecture and attractions with exterior lighting, Young enlisted the help of his fishing friend, Thomas Edison. President William Howard Taft dined at the pier in 1911 while attending a convention in the resort town. One year later, huge crowds filled the pier when Teddy Roosevelt delivered a campaign speech. Tourists continued to seek entertainment at the pier, which expanded to include dancers, circus performers and actors in the 1930's.