Atlantic City's famed Steel Pier to close

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- Once famous for its diving horse and celebrities but more recently renowned for amusement rides and cotton candy, Atlantic City's Steel Pier is fading into history.

The landmark once dubbed the "Showplace of the Nation" whisked through its final Labor Day weekend this year, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The distinctive pier opened in 1898 and juts 1,000 feet into the Atlantic Ocean, but it will close in mid-October to make way for new development -- most likely a mixture of high-end condominiums, restaurants and shops.

The site used to draw thousands to watch the signature Diving Horse plunge 40 feet into the sea and enjoy entertainers such as Charlie Chaplin, the Three Stooges, Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra.