Atlantic City, N.J. – Did you ever wonder how the Ducktown part of Atlantic City got its name? Did you know that the city was a crucial training spot for soldiers during World War II?

Summer is the perfect time to learn more about the city’s history through a series of walking tours coordinated by Stockton Continuing Studies. The AC Walking Tour Series returns in July after a two-year hiatus due to COVID.

The tours will be held at 10 a.m. on four consecutive Fridays beginning July 8 and will cover between 2 to 3 miles of parks, city streets and the Boardwalk. They will run about two hours long and will be held rain or shine. Atlantic City historian and Stockton Adjunct Professor Dr. Levi Fox will lead each tour.

This year’s tours are co-sponsored by the Chelsea Economic Development Corporation and the Ducktown Community Development Corporation, which has helped reduce the registration fee.

Each individual tour is $10 or $35 for a four-tour bundle.

Here’s the series schedule:

Tour #1 - Friday, July 8: Veterans' Heritage Tour

Starting in the historic Chelsea Neighborhood at Stockton Atlantic City, this tour will honor the service of our Veterans to the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War and more. Learn about Atlantic City’s involvement in various military campaigns and the hometown heroes who braved them all. Notable stops include the O’Donnell Memorial Park, the Korean War Memorial, Ritz-Carlton Building and Boardwalk Hall. The tour will begin at the Stockton Atlantic City John F. Scarpa Academic Center, 3711 Atlantic Ave., Atlantic City.

Tour #2 - Friday, July 15: Ducktown Revitalization

The historic neighborhood of “Ducktown,” once known as A.C.’s “Little Italy,” is now known for its budding art scene, great restaurants and “The Walk” shopping mall. Our tour will focus on local markets, churches, current cultural flair, and revitalization efforts taking place between Missouri and Texas avenues. Notable sites include: The Noyes Arts Garage of Stockton University, Dante Hall, White House Sub Shop, Dock’s Oyster House and the Historic 500 Club site. The tour will begin at the Noyes Arts Garage at Stockton University, 2200 Fairmount Ave., Atlantic City

Tour #3 - Friday, July 22: Louisa Mack’s LGBT/Orange Loop

Now known as the “Orange Loop,” in reference to the orange properties on a Monopoly board, this neighborhood was once considered the “Gay-borhood” of Atlantic City. Various nightclubs and bars hosted by Louisa Mack made this area a popular spot for the LGBT community as early as the 1920s. Notable sites will include the A.C. Civil Rights Garden, Bourre and former locations of the Brass Rail, Louisa Mack’s Entertainer’s Club on Snake Alley, the Lark Inn and the Professional Arts Building. The tour will begin at Bourre, 201 S. New York Ave., Atlantic City.

Tour #4 - Friday, July 29: Lower Chelsea

Starting in the historic Chelsea Neighborhood at Stockton Atlantic City, this tour will feature the Jewish heritage of the neighborhood including a synagogue, a tailor shop, a union headquarters and more. The tour will start at the Stockton Atlantic City John F. Scarpa Academic Center, 3711 Atlantic Ave., Atlantic City and end at Congregation Rodef Shalom Temple, 4609 Atlantic Ave., Atlantic City.

Registration is required. Visit stockton.edu/cs, email cs@stockton.edu or call Continuing Studies at 609-652-4227.