Atlantic City, a seaside resort in New Jersey located on Absecon Island, is famously nicknamed the "Las Vegas of the East Coast" and served as the inspiration for the U.S. version of the board game Monopoly, which uses its street names. Incorporated on May 1, 1854, the city grew from a Lenape summer home into a resort town, thanks to a railroad link to Philadelphia championed by Jonathan Pitney and Samuel Richards. A major turning point came in 1976 when New Jersey voters legalized casino gambling, with the first casino opening two years later, cementing its reputation for nightlife and boardwalk attractions. The city also hosted the Miss America pageant from 1921 to 2004, and again from 2013 to 2018. Despite its fame, the city's population has steadily declined, falling to 38,497 in the 2020 census, reflecting a broader economic shift.