Steel Pier
Encyclopedia
Steel Pier is a 1000 feet (304.8 m) amusement pier
in Atlantic City, New Jersey
, located opposite The Boardwalk from Trump Taj Mahal.
The pier was owned by Trump Entertainment Resorts until 2011, when it was sold to the Catanoso Family under the "Steel Pier Associates, LLC" name. The Catanosos previously leased the pier to operate the amusement park before the sale. Steel Pier continues to operate as an amusement pier, and is one of the most successful family-oriented attractions in the city.
, and his company, accepted the challenge to rebuild it. His success with that job led to more work for him in Atlantic City.
From 1935 through 1938 Steel Pier was where Miss America
was crowned. It was described as "An Amusement City at Sea" and "A Vacation in Itself." It also was once called the "Showplace of the Nation" and included such acts as the High Diving horse
; Rex the Wonder Dog, a water-skiing canine in the 1930; and even human musicians, Frank Sinatra
and Al Jolson
among others. "Rain or Shine ... There's Always a Good Show on Steel Pier" was another phrase used to describe the venue's varied entertainment. The pier used to be much longer, but a December, 1969 fire six months before the opening of the 1970 season shortened its size by about a third. The original wooden pier with steel underpinnings was destroyed in a 1982 fire; the current concrete structure dates from 1993.
In June 2008 Steel Pier celebrated its 110th anniversary, having originally opened on Saturday, June 18, 1898.
Pier
A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars...
in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
, located opposite The Boardwalk from Trump Taj Mahal.
The pier was owned by Trump Entertainment Resorts until 2011, when it was sold to the Catanoso Family under the "Steel Pier Associates, LLC" name. The Catanosos previously leased the pier to operate the amusement park before the sale. Steel Pier continues to operate as an amusement pier, and is one of the most successful family-oriented attractions in the city.
History
In 1904, a storm washed away part of Steel Pier and many engineers stated that it could not be rebuilt. Future mayor of Atlantic City Edward L. BaderEdward L. Bader
Edward Lawrence Bader was an American politician who served as Mayor of Atlantic City, New Jersey for much of the Roaring Twenties, when the city was arguably at the peak of its popularity, as a vacation spot...
, and his company, accepted the challenge to rebuild it. His success with that job led to more work for him in Atlantic City.
From 1935 through 1938 Steel Pier was where Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
was crowned. It was described as "An Amusement City at Sea" and "A Vacation in Itself." It also was once called the "Showplace of the Nation" and included such acts as the High Diving horse
Diving horse
A diving horse is an attraction that was popular in the mid 1880s, in which a horse would dive into a pool of water, sometimes from as high as 60 feet up.-History:...
; Rex the Wonder Dog, a water-skiing canine in the 1930; and even human musicians, Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
and Al Jolson
Al Jolson
Al Jolson was an American singer, comedian and actor. In his heyday, he was dubbed "The World's Greatest Entertainer"....
among others. "Rain or Shine ... There's Always a Good Show on Steel Pier" was another phrase used to describe the venue's varied entertainment. The pier used to be much longer, but a December, 1969 fire six months before the opening of the 1970 season shortened its size by about a third. The original wooden pier with steel underpinnings was destroyed in a 1982 fire; the current concrete structure dates from 1993.
In June 2008 Steel Pier celebrated its 110th anniversary, having originally opened on Saturday, June 18, 1898.
See also
- Sonora Webster CarverSonora Webster CarverSonora Webster Carver, February 2, 1904-September 20, 2003, was an American entertainer, most notable as one of the first female horse divers. Webster answered an ad placed by William "Doc" Carver in 1923 for a diving girl and soon earned a place in circus history...
- A Girl and Five Brave HorsesA Girl and Five Brave HorsesA Girl and Five Brave Horses is a memoir by Sonora Webster Carver published in 1961. It inspired the Disney film Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken which is based on, but does not exactly follow, the book. At the age of 20, Sonora Webster Carver joined William Frank Carver's Wild West Show which...
- Diving horseDiving horseA diving horse is an attraction that was popular in the mid 1880s, in which a horse would dive into a pool of water, sometimes from as high as 60 feet up.-History:...
- William Frank CarverWilliam Frank CarverWilliam Frank "Doc" Carver was a late 19th century sharpshooter and creator of a popular diving horse attraction. He was born at Winslow, Illinois, to William Daniel Carver, a physician, and Deborah Tohapenes Carver . The parents had migrated to Illinois from Pennsylvania in 1849...
- Wild Hearts Can't Be BrokenWild Hearts Can't Be BrokenWild Hearts Can’t Be Broken is a 1991 film about Sonora Webster Carver, a rider of diving horses. It is based on events in her life as told in her memoir A Girl and Five Brave Horses...
External links
- Steel Pier - Atlantic City, New Jersey - Official site.
- Steel Pier - A nostalgic look at Steel Pier.