Anyone with photos from the Boardwalk, either today or from its heyday, is encouraged to share them. Galloway Patch welcomes any personal stories area residents wish to share.

As first responders began to assess damage from Sandy, which hit Atlantic City as a tropical storm Monday night around 8 p.m., the rising sun revealed the demise of large portions of one of New Jersey, and the country's, most famous landmarks.

About eight or nine blocks of the Atlantic City Boardwalk on the northern end were destroyed by the tropical storm Monday night.

On Monday morning, access to all barrier islands was cut off as the countywide travel ban remains in effect until further notice, county officials said.

A boiling water advisory was issued for Atlantic City residents.

"That's rolling boiling water for one minute," Atlantic County Public Information Officer Linda Gilmore said. "The county is currently working to obtain water for Atlantic City residents."

On Tuesday morning, crews were out assessing the damage and performing rescue operations on the barrier islands for those who were trapped despite calls for mandatory evacuations.

Throughout Atlantic County, there were downed trees and wires, and officials asked residents stay away from wires. Residents can report downed wires and trees by calling Atlantic City Electric at 1-800-833-7476.

As of 9 a.m., there were 82,575 power outages reported throughout Atlantic County.

The Atlantic City Boardwalk opened on June 26, 1870, but on Tuesday morning, Oct. 30, 2012, Sandy made that famous landmark a distant memory.

The first pier was established in 1882, but the Ocean Pier no longer exists. The Steel Pier, home to the city's many amusement rides, opened in 1898.

As much as it was known for its casinos, the Atlantic City Boardwalk became a destination for Americans all over the country, and was further immortalized in the HBO series Boardwalk Empire.

The boardwalk experienced partial destruction with the Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944. During that storm, the Steeplechase Pier and Heinz 57 were both destroyed. Steeplechase Pier was later rebuilt.