As Hurricane turned Superstorm Sandy moves away from the coast and the damage is surveyed, we're saddened to see the fate of Atlantic City's iconic boardwalk.
As early as Monday morning, Sandy was causing the seaside promenade to be broken into pieces that could be seen floating in the swelling waters. Even before the storm made landfall, a 50-foot section of the boardwalk was wiped out by strong waves, NBC reports.
Atlantic City's boardwalk opened in 1870, making it the first boardwalk in the U.S. Its original purpose was merely to keep sand out of the city's ritzy hotels and train cars, and no commerce was to be allowed within 30 feet of the walk, according to Atlantic City online. This ordinance was scrapped 10 years later and shops on the walk boomed.
The City and the boardwalk declined in prominence in the 1960s, as USA Today points out, but was revitalized by the introduction of casinos in 1978.
From salt water taffy, to Miss America, to the Trump Taj Mahal, the Atlantic City boardwalk is one of the East Coast's great icons and sources of nostalgia. Take a look back, and add your own favorite photos.
Ed. Note: To clarify, the entirety of the Atlantic City boardwalk is not gone, though a portion of it was taken out by the storm. However, the section of the boardwalk that was destroyed was in mostly residential areas, rather than the iconic tourist stretch, and it was already slated to be demolished and rebuilt, says the Press of Atlantic City.
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