Putting A.C. on the map

One unintended benefit of Nelson Johnson's

The Northside

will hopefully be the end of a common misperception about Atlantic City's geographical location on Absecon Island.

Because the Boardwalk runs parallel to the Atlantic Ocean, it is generally believed the island runs north and south. In actuality, it juts out from the mainland in an east-by-northeastly direction.

That means the Atlantic City Hilton is located at the western (not southern) end of the Great Wood Way, while the Showboat casino is on the eastern (not northern) end.

If this wasn't the case, Johnson's book would have been called The Westside.

- Chuck Darrow