CAMP BOARDWALK: Atlantic City During WWII
Exhibit at the Noyes Arts Garage of Stockton University
Curated by Dr. Patricia Chappine, in collaboration with the Atlantic City Free Public Library, Millville Army Air Field Museum, Sara & Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center, Atlantic County Historical Society, and the National Guard Militia Museum of New Jersey.
The Noyes Arts Garage of Stockton
2200 Fairmount Ave, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
ww.artsgarageac.com
Phone: (609) 626-3805
During WWII, Atlantic City, NJ, became an essential part of the war effort, earning it the nickname “Camp Boardwalk.” The Army converted major hotels into a military training and redistribution area and established the Thomas M. England General Hospital, a recovery and rehabilitation center for injured soldiers. The community mobilized its resources for Civilian Defense, calling on local men and women to be air raid wardens and airplane spotters. Women volunteered for the USO and the Red Cross, joined the military and worked as nurses. African American men and women served in the military, worked in the defense industry and volunteered on the home front. This exhibit showcases the wartime narrative of Atlantic City, connecting the stories of the men and women who trained, worked, recovered and volunteered there.
Situated in 2026
A contemporary aerial view of Atlantic City, taken on 01/07/26, shows the proximity of this exhibit at the Noyes Arts Garage to the historic Convention Hall and the Thomas M. England General Hospital.
Top left is the Noyes Arts Garage of Stockton University
Bottom left is the Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall, formerly known as the Historic Atlantic City Convention Hall, which served as the Army Air Corps Technical Training Command Center during WWII.
On the right is the Resorts Casino, formerly the Haddon Hall hotel, which, along with others, was converted into the Thomas M. England General Hospital during WWII.
Postcard [ca. 1930–1945] from Boston Public Library, 2012 photo by Britt Reints via flickr (CC BY 2.0)
CAMP BOARDWALK: Atlantic City During WWII 