7/31/2019 Book Review - Boardwalk Empire.
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Book Review: Boardwalk Empire
After watching the HBO program Boardwalk Empire Season One on
Netflix (4 disks - 12
episodes), I decided to purchase the book Boardwalk Empire,
written by Nelson Johnson, on
which the HBO program was based. Whereas, the TV program
concentrates on Enoch Nucky
Johnsons control of Atlantic City in the Roaring Twenties, the
book gives a much morecomprehensive look at Atlantic City; from its
creation in the 1850s, up until the publication
date of the book, which was published in 2002. Donald Trumps
attempted takeover of Atlantic
Citys gambling interests are highlighted here too.
In the early 1800s, Atlantic City, originally called Absecon
Island, was nothing but swamps and
weeds on the banks of the Atlantic Ocean. However, Dr. Jonathan
Pitney saw potential in the
tiny island; as a vacation spot for the not-so-rich - people who
couldnt afford the tony beach
resorts that dotted the Jersey shore from Philadelphia to
central New Jersey.
Pitney started his quest to build his dream resort - his city by
the sea - in the 1830s. However,since Absecon Island was reachable
only by boat, and horse and wagon, it wasnt until 1851, that
Pitney convinced the Jersey state legislature to construct a
railroad from the mainland to his new
city, which he christened Atlantic City. As soon as the railroad
was completed, Atlantic City
started teeming with tourists, but only in the warm summer
months - from mid- May to mid-
October. Still, that was enough time for the entrepreneurs who
set up shop in Atlantic City to
make enough cash to support them through the frigid fall and
winter months.
By 1890, Atlantic City was known as Philadelphias Playground,
and raking in tons of cash for
its businesses. But it was ripe for a corrupt takeover, and that
takeover arrived in the name of
Louis Kuehnle, known as The Commodore. Kuehnle owned Kuehnle
Hotel, where he presidedover the Republican Partys interests with
an iron fist covered by a velvet glove.
Kuehnle got kickbacks from everyone and everything in Atlantic
City. Gamblers, bars,
restaurants and even brothels kicked into Kuehnles coffers. Soon
Kuehnle had interests in the
Atlantic City Gas company, and the Central Passenger Railroad
Company, which transported
passengers into Atlantic City.
However, the reformists in the state of New Jersey, led by
moderate Governor Woodrow Wilson
(who later became President of the United States), finally got
the goods on Kuehnle. Kuehnle
was tried and convicted of corruption, and sentenced to one year
of hard labor.
However, the Republican Party barely missed a beat. Kuehnles
place was taken by former
Atlantic City SheriffEnoch Nucky Johnson, and Johnson
transformed Kuehnles crude
corruption machine into a fine art form.
7/31/2019 Book Review - Boardwalk Empire.
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Johnson ran Atlantic City like a well-oiled machineraking in
cash with both hands - until he
was taken down by the reformers in the New Jersey Congress.
Johnsons reign lasted until 1941,
when he was tried and convicted of corruption, and sentenced to
four years in the slammer.
The rest of Boardwalk Empire illuminates how the corruption in
Atlantic City continued under
New Jersey States Senator Frank Hap Farley for more than 30
years, until Farley was bootedout of office by his disgruntled
constituents in 1974.
For those people who are looking to read a book that resembles
the HBO program Broadwalk
Empire, you might be a tad bit disappointed. Less than 25 % of
the book deals with Nucky
Johnson and most ofthat takes place in the 1930s; whereas the TV
program concentrates on
Johnsons exploits in the Roaring Twenties.
Nevertheless, Broadwalk Empire is a must-read for those who like
a peek into the inner
workings of the corrupt government that thrived in Atlantic City
for the major part of the 20th
Century.
The book Broadwalk Empire is a great read and highly
recommended, as is the television
program of the same name; but for entirely different
reasons.
