Coney Island

Image: THONGCHAI.S (Shutterstock)New York City has always been a major hub for financial, commercial, and cultural development with its iconic skyscrapers and dense population. But over the past decade or so, we’ve been able to see the way the city has changed like never before—with Google Maps. Google Maps allows users to (depending on the location) view previous eras of an area using Street View. By entering Street View on Google Maps and clicking “See more dates” in the top left corner, you can see how a particular…

A man walks by the remains of part of the historic Rockaway boardwalk in New York City after large parts of it were washed away during Hurricane Sandy on October 31, 2012.Photo: Spencer Platt (Getty Images)Just before Halloween in 2012, Hurricane Sandy climbed up the East Coast and pummeled New York City and the Jersey shore. The storm’s destruction shut off power for millions, knocked out parts of the subway system, and inundated coastal communities with a 14-foot storm surge.“Sandy was definitely that first big wake up…