| Atlantic City Culture: Garden Pier stood apart from the other piers in Atlantic City. Opened in 1913, its "uptown" location placed it away from the frenzied activity of the "downtown" Boardwalk. The Spanish Renaissance architecture of the buildings and the beautifully landscaped gardens gave the pier a formal appearance which attracted an upscale crowd. The centerpiece of Garden Pier was the stately B.F. Keith's Theater which for many years rivaled any of those on Broadway. Here, Tobacco Road and George White's Scandals premiered. One of the city's largest ballrooms was on the pier. In it a young Rudolph Valentino worked as a dance instructor and large conventions met before the Atlantic City Auditorium was built. |
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