It’s striking that if you were to look at someone’s photo reel now, their selfies, random pictures of landscapes and group pics, you’d probably find it boring. But the same images, from even thirty years ago, become an object of interest. After all, we tend to find history interesting, particularly when we can actually see evidence of what things looked like.
We’ve gathered some interesting and unusual vintage pictures that might make you see the past in a new light. So get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorites and be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section down below.
#1 Wedding Rings Discovered By US Troops In 1945
U.S. troops discovered rings, watches, precious stones, eyeglasses, and gold fillings after liberating prisoners from the Buchenwald c****************p in April 1945. Pictured are just a few of the thousands of wedding rings the N*zis had seized from prisoners to melt down for gold.
Image source: Department of Defense. Defense Audiovisual Agency, Encyclopedia
#2 A Lion Tamer And Animal Trainer Poses With His Lions
In this photograph, esteemed circus performer and animal tamer Jack Bonavita poses with 13 lions as part of his act “The Armchair.” While sitting in a chair, Bonavita would order the lions to sit around him. He eventually branched out into working with polar bears, a decision that proved fatal for him.
Image source: pumpkinmum, All Thats Interesting
#3 A 4,000-Pound Elephant Seal Getting A Snow Bath
Roland was a massive 4,000-pound sea elephant who called the Berlin Zoo his home from the late 1920s until the Second World War. In a fascinating display of human-animal interaction, Roland was pictured receiving a snow bath from his handler.
Image source: Szabo84, Content Catnip
#4 A Woman Suffering From Two Rare Conditions
Julia Pastrana was born in 1834 in Mexico. She was a singer and performer with a genetic condition called hypertrichosis terminalis that caused straight black hair to grow all over her face and body. Pastrana also had a rare disease called gingival hyperplasia, which increased the size of her gums. Both were unique conditions to have, with gingival hyperplasia virtually unheard of at that time.
Image source: George Wick, Wikipedia
#5 A Lion Being Recorded For The Beginning Of MGM Films
Shot between 1928 and 1929, the photograph captures Jackie, MGM’s “Leo,” as a cameraman and sound man work beside him in his soundproof booth-sized cage. In the risky and unnervingly intimate setup, handlers often prodded and coaxed roars out of Jackie, close enough for everyone to be in grave danger if he lashed out.
Image source: Fred Parrish, Smithsonian Mag
#6 An Eskimo Medicine Man And A Sick Boy In The Early 1900s
Captured in Nushagak, Alaska, this 1912 photo shows an Eskimo medicine man, also known as an Aglegmiut shaman, with his arm draped over the shoulder of a sick boy. It was captioned “Working to beat the devil” – exorcising evil spirits from a sick boy. Despite being forbidden by Christian missionaries, these ceremonial costumes, consisting of masks and outsized hands, were still made and used in the early 1900s by the Aglegmiut people.
Image source: Frank George, DPLA
#7 Nurses Carrying Babies During A Gas Drill In 1940
This 1940 photograph captures a gas-attack drill staged at a London hospital. As part of the drill, the nurses at the hospital had to carry babies around in cocoon-like devices called “baby gas respirators” to prepare for possible evacuations due to poison gas raids. Interestingly, the device’s design enclosed the baby’s body apart from their legs, which were left hanging out.
Image source: Ministry of Information, Rare Historical Photos
#8 A Baby Playing With Young Alligators At The Los Angeles Alligator Farm In 1900
This photo was taken in the early 1900s at the Los Angeles Alligator Farm in Lincoln Heights, California. Seeing a baby sitting in a holding pen surrounded by young alligators may seem shocking, but such close contact with the reptiles was viewed as harmless family entertainment at the time.
Image source: Wikimedia Commons, Wikipedia
#9 Unknown Man During The 1932 Depression
Captured at the height of the Great Depression, this photo gives us a glimpse into the bleakness of the time. Like the man holding a morbid sign, about a quarter of the American population was without work, with many ending up homeless as a result. Thousands of banks closing, the stock market crashing, and a drought drying up farms only worsened the hardships.
Image source: michaelconfoy, Rare Historical Photos
#10 Filipinos At Dreamland In Coney Island
This photograph shows Filipinos in loincloths sitting together at Coney Island in the early 20th century, as crowds looked on from behind barriers. Similar setups were staged across the US and Europe, creating ‘human zoos’ where spectators would gawp and jeer at what they deemed primitive ways of life.
Image source: Bain News Service, Rare Historical Photos
#11 Testing A Bulletproof Vest In 1923
Taken in 1923, this photo shows two salesmen from the Protective Garment Corporation of New York performing a live demonstration of their lightweight bulletproof vest invention. The demonstration took place at the Washington City Police Department in front of several police officers who looked on in awe.
Image source: National Photo Company, Rare Historical Photos
#12 Girls In Beijing Practicing Stilt Walking In 1934
In the 1930s, stilt walking formed part of popular festival arts and stage training for both comic and martial roles in Beijing. This particular photograph was taken in 1934 at a drama class where even young girls and boys practiced stilt walking.
Image source: Ellen Catleen
#13 Breaker Boys In A Coal Mine In 1911
The children pictured here were known as “breaker boys” because of the work they did at coal breakers. Lewis Wickes Hine shot this photo of them in 1911, while documenting child labor on behalf of the National Child Labor Committee. Often working 10 hours a day and 6 days a week, the boys would pick slate and other impurities from coal with their bare hands. However, by 1920, the use of breaker boys had ended because machinery had improved, and laws had been tightened.
Image source: Hine, Lewis Wickes, Wikipedia
#14 The First Underwater Portrait Taken In 1899
This photograph, taken in 1899 of Banyuls-sur-Mer, shows Romanian scientist Emil Racoviță posing underwater for French pioneer Louis Boutan. Racoviță held a slate that read “Photographie sous-marine,” confirming that the shot was taken below the surface. Boutan’s work is widely regarded as the first underwater portrait and helped launch the era of underwater photography.
Image source: Louis Boutan, Guinness World Records
#15 On The Set Of One Hundred And One Dalmatians
One Hundred and One Dalmatians debuted in January 1961, marking a significant shift from the animated movies Walt Disney produced in earlier decades. It was contemporary and grounded in realism, rather than magic. The success of the film spawned a successful media franchise, two animated television series, and live-action remakes in 1996 and 2000.
Image source: Xi_JinpingXIV, Wikipedia
#16 A Tsam Mask Dance In Mongolia In 1925
Taken around 1925 in Urga, this photo shows a Tsam masked dance meant to purify the community and scare away evil spirits. Monks performed in heavy robes and sacred masks, while horns, cymbals, and drums provided rhythm. By the 1930s, the tradition was suppressed, making images from this era valuable records.
Image source: ibkeepr, Asia Society
#17 Painters On The Brooklyn Bridge In 1914
The Brooklyn Bridge took 14 years and over 600 workers to build. But what most people don’t know is that the bridge claimed its fair share of lives. Over 20 workers passed away due to falling off the bridge, being hit by debris, or getting caisson disease. This photograph of painters suspended on the cables of the bridge with absolutely no safety gear was taken by photographer Eugene de Salignac.
Image source: Eugene de Salignac
#18 Dummy Heads Used By Alcatraz Escapees In 1962
Frank Morris and brothers Clarence and John Anglin, locked up at Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, escaped from the prison on June 11, 1962. They used sculpted dummy heads to fool guards into believing they were asleep in their beds while they made a getaway. The dummies were made from a concoction of toilet paper, toothpaste, concrete dust, and soap with paint and real human hair to give them a realistic appearance.
Image source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Wikipedia
#19 Twain In The Lab Of Nikola Tesla
This 1894 image was first published in April 1895 by the Century Magazine as part of T.C Martin’s article titled, “Tesla’s Oscillator and other Inventions”.Twain frequently visited and volunteered in Nikola Tesla’s laboratory in the 1890s, where he famously tested Tesla’s mechanical oscillator.
Image source: Thomas Commerford Martin, Nikola Tesla, Jeff Behary, Century Magazine
#20 A Maori Battalion Performing A Haka In Egypt
This photograph, taken circa 1941 in Helwan, Egypt, is a powerful display of Māori cultural traditions. It shows members of the 28th Maori Battalion, who had fought against German invasion in Greece, performing a haka for the King of Greece.
Image source: Alexander Turnbull Library, Alexander Turnbull Library
#21 Radium Girls In A Factory In 1922
Before the dangers of radioactive material were known, many women worked as “radium girls.” The role required them to hand-paint watch dials with luminous radium paint. Sadly, most of them suffered from severe radiation poisoning, anemia, cancer, and even jaw decay due to their prolonged exposure to radiation without safety gear.
Image source: Rutgers University Libraries, Britannica
#22 The Steam Man
Photographed here is the ”Steam Man,” invented by American inventors Zadoc P. Dederick and Isaac Grass in 1868. This interesting contraption was meant to pull a small carriage using the steam generated by the boiler in its chest. Although people in Newark and New York City initially paid top dollar to see the Steam Man, by 1870, the media had labelled it a sham.
Image source: George O. Bedford, History
#23 Einstein At The Grand Canyon In 1931
This 1931 photograph of Albert Einstein and his wife Elsa was not taken at a Hopi Mesa, but at Hopi House, part of the Grand Canyon’s El Tovar hotel. This was a common scene staged for tourists. Not even the feathered headdress and pipe given to Einstein were part of Hopi culture. Instead, they belonged to Plains Indian tribes.
Image source: Eugene Omar Goldbeck, Sallie Bingham
#24 Girls Delivering Ice In 1918
Captured in this U.S. National Archives photo from September 16, 1918, are two young women on a delivery route, lugging a huge block of ice around using tongs. Traditionally, this was a job done by men due to its physically demanding nature. However, more women took up the work to assist during World War I.
Image source: National Archives, Tumblr
#25 Lady Florence Norman On A Motor Scooter In 1916
This well-known photograph was taken by Paul Thompson in London, circa 1916. It depicts Florence Priscilla, Lady Norman, a British suffragist and wartime office supervisor, riding an Autoped motor-scooter to work. The scooter was a birthday present from her husband, Sir Henry Norman. Like many other early motorized scooters during the 1910s, it briefly boomed and was marketed to women as convenient city transport.
Image source: wikimedia, Smithsonian Mag
#26 Monk Crossing A Chain Bridge At Yunyan Si In China
This photo of a monk carefully crossing a chain bridge at Yunyan Si, also known as Cloud Rock Temple, was captured in 1930. The precarious two-chain bridge, with one chain as the narrow footway and the other as the handrail, was one of two daunting routes to the sutra library perched on a cliff.
Image source: Browndog888, View of China
#27 A Japanese Woman Carrying Her Children In A Bucket On Her Head
This photograph of a Japanese woman carrying her children in a bucket on her head was taken in the early 1900s. The captivating image gives us a glimpse into Japan’s rural life, where tradition and simplicity were the norm. It also captures the strength and resourcefulness of women in the era, and how they played a crucial role in the livelihood of their families.
Image source: Agreeable_Tank229, All Chronology
#28 The 1937 Hindenburg Zeppelin Disaster
Captured in this photo is the moment the Hindenburg, a German airship, caught on fire when it attempted to land in Lakehurst, New Jersey. The accident caused 35 fatalities and completely destroyed the public’s confidence in airships, ultimately leading to the end of the airship era.
Image source: National Archives, Wikipedia
#29 Knife Grinders In France During The 1900s
Nicknamed yellow bellies, French knife grinders worked while lying on their stomachs to prevent back pain. As their workshops were usually located in cold and damp areas, knife grinders often had dogs sit on their legs for warmth.
Image source: zadraaa, Rare Historical Photos
#30 Children During Fastelavn
The children in the picture are carrying ‘rattle boxes’ or small cans used to collect money and treats during Fastelavn. Fastelavn is a Nordic carnival tradition celebrated seven weeks before Easter Sunday. While customs vary by country and region, a common tradition is children dressing up in costumes, going door to door, singing, and gathering treats for the Fastelavn feast.
Image source: Lars Møller, Wikipedia
#31 A Gigantic Ocean Sunfish In 1910
Pictured is a gigantic Ocean Sunfish, also known as a Mola mola. This specimen was caught by W.N. McMillan in 1910 off Santa Catalina Island, California. While it weighed an impressive 3,500 pounds, others of its kind have been known to grow to 5,000 pounds.
Image source: Library of Congress, Wikipedia
#32 A Mitsubishi Kamikaze’s Imprint Along The Side Of HMS Sussex
The plane imprint pictured was left on the British cruiser HMS Sussex on July 26, 1945, when a Japanese kamikaze plane crashed into it. Luckily, the ship’s hull was strong enough to withstand the impact, resulting in only minor damage. The photo serves as a powerful reminder of just how intense the Pacific War was.
Image source: pubwithnobeer, Facebook
#33 Firemen Stand On A Bridge Over The Cuyahoga River In 1952
An oil slick at a shipyard on the Cuyahoga River ignited, leading to the massive blaze captured in November 1952. The fire swept through the docks, destroying everything in its path, including the Arizona tugboat pictured. Interestingly, the blaze got little to no media attention in 1952, but the images were eventually used in later coverage of another fire on the same river in 1969.
Image source: Tullio Saba, Wikipedia
#34 A Lapland Warrior During The 20th Century
The Lapland War happened between Finland and N**i Germany during World War II in Lapland, Finland’s northernmost region, from September to November 1944. During the last year of the Continuation War, Rájá-Jovnna, the soldier pictured here, posed with a reindeer that the Finnish army used to pull sleighs carrying supplies during snowy conditions.
Image source: Oswald Hedenström, Wikipedia
#35 An Early Auto Wreck In Washington, D.C
A Chevrolet 490 sat wrecked on the streets of Washington, DC, in 1923, drawing the attention of a small crowd of men and boys. It served as a stark reminder of the perils of early driving. Motor vehicle fatalities reached 18.65 per 100 million miles that year, far higher than today (1.26 per 100 million miles traveled).
Image source: National Photo Company, National Photo Company
#36 Halloween Beauty Contest Participants In 1947
This 1947 photo shows four Anaheim “Slick Chick” Halloween Beauty Pageant contestants. Despite their pin-up glamour and playful costumes, beauty contests faced increasing backlash over modesty issues and objectification. That year became the last year Miss America was crowned in a swimsuit.
Image source: Los Angeles Daily News
#37 The Pompeii Excavations
This 1961 photo was captured during the excavations in Pompeii. Using a technique perfected by Giuseppe Fiorelli, archaeological investigations of the ancient town have recorded over 1000 victims of the 79 AD eruption since 1863, with 103 casts made during the excavation process. Thanks to developments in digital imaging and scientific analysis, other projects have emerged to challenge myths and uncover the truth about the victims.
Image source: wikimedia, Cast Project Pompeii
#38 Workmen On Mt. Rushmore In 1932
In 1932, workmen were photographed as they worked on the face of George Washington at Mount Rushmore. The sculpting process, which began in 1927, involved the use of dynamite, jackhammers, and hand-chiseling methods. In total, it took over 400 men to complete the 60-foot-high carvings of 60-foot-high carvings of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.
Image source: Rise Studio, Rapid City, S. Dak., Wikipedia
#39 Opening Ceremony At Woodstock 1969
This photograph of Swami Satchidananda, a yoga guru and religious teacher, speaking in front of a massive crowd at the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, was captured on August 15, 1969. To call for harmony during the Vietnam War era, festival organizers asked the guru to bring calm and bless the crowd with his powerful invocation.
Image source: Mark Goff, Wikipedia
#40 Torch Fishing In Hawaii
Shot in 1948, this image shows a Hawaiian fisherman holding a torch made from kukui nuts. Passed down from generation to generation, the traditional practice, known as torch fishing, involved illuminating shallow waters to attract octopi and rock fish for spearing.
Image source: Hogans_hero, Rare Historical Photos
#41 Bawomataluo Villagers Dragging A Megalith In 1915
On the Island of Nias, megaliths were used to honor prominent deceased individuals. Whenever such a stone was erected, a ritual feast was held to allow the deceased to join their ancestors in the afterlife. According to legend, it took 525 people in the village of Bawomataluo three days to raise the stone pictured in 1915.
Image source: Wikipedia
#42 A Factory Worker In Maine In 1911
Pictured is Nan de Gallant, a 9-year-old Cartoner who worked at a factory where she often packed goods with her mother. Her two sisters were also employed at a factory, with one sister earning as much as $7 in a single day. During the busy season, the women started work at 7 a.m. and worked until midnight.
Image source: Library of Congress
#43 Pin-Boys In A Pittsburgh Bowling Alley
This 1908 photo sheds light on how child labor exposed kids to both physical risk and grueling schedules. Pictured are Pittsburgh’s pin boys who worked late into the night manually resetting bowling pins. The job was exhausting, repetitive, and dangerous, exposing them to crushed fingers and constant accidents.
Image source: Hine, Lewis Wickes
#44 Masked Revelers At Mardi Gras In New Orleans, 1905
This photo of three masked revelers posing on a side street at the 1905 Mardi Gras held in New Orleans was captured by Alexander Allison. As an avid amateur photographer, he shot it as part of a collection covering Mardi Gras scenes from the 1890s to the 1950s. What made this particular Mardi Gras quite special was that it happened in what many call the “Golden Age” of fancy, story-themed carnivals.
Image source: Alexander Allison, Scout Archives
#45 Swimmers Watching A Mushroom Cloud From An Atomic Test In 1953
In the early 50s, watching the atomic test blasts from the Nevada Test Site became a form of tourism. Surprisingly, the mushroom clouds formed by the blasts drew spectators from Las Vegas resorts like the one pictured here, and news sites even promoted them as a form of entertainment. Because the risks of radiation weren’t fully understood at that time, many communities near the blast site experienced health problems as a result of exposure.
#46 Nikola Tesla’s Last Photo
In 1943, 86-year-old Nikola Tesla was photographed for the very last time. The famous scientist passed away that very same year on January 7 from coronary thrombosis. Having spent his final years in quiet isolation, Tesla’s lifeless body was only discovered two days later in Room 3327 of the New Yorker Hotel.
Image source: c0urso, Rare Historical Photos
#47 Starved Prisoners In Ebensee, Austria
This 1945 photo shows the severely emaciated prisoners held in a N**i c****************p in Ebensee, Austria. The camp was part of the main Mauthausen camp near the town of the same name. Reportedly established for ‘scientific experiments’, conditions at the camp were so dire that inmates passed away at a rate of 2000 per week. The camp was liberated that same year by the 80th Division of the U.S. Army.
Image source: Department of Defense. Defense Audiovisual Agency, Wikipedia
#48 A Soldier Of The 12th Battalion In 1941
Taken at Hengistbury Head near Bournemouth in 1941, this photo is a powerful depiction of what British soldiers during World War II endured during training. Wearing a gas mask, the soldier can be seen advancing through a smoke screen. This was a common drill to help soldiers prepare for chemical warfare and battlefield conditions.
Image source: Malindine, Edward George William
#49 Portrait Of Arctic Explorer Peter Freuchen And His Wife Dagmar Cohn In 1947
Pictured are Peter Freuchen, a Danish arctic explorer, and his third wife, Dagmar Cohn, a fashion illustrator in 1947. While this may look like a simple portrait of a husband and wife, Freuchen’s history is fascinating. Not only was he an explorer, but also an anthropologist, actor, and successful author. During his time exploring Inuit culture in 1926, he lost a leg to frostbite, but that didn’t deter him from going on to star in an Oscar-winning movie seven years later.
Image source: alohasnafu, Another Mag
#50 The Excavation Of The Oseberg Ship
Pictured is Archaeologist Gabriel Gustafson and his team at work during the 1904 excavation of the Oseberg burial mound. The Viking era discovery included the Oseberg Ship, along with numerous wooden and metal artefacts, textiles, and even sacrificed animals offered to the two women buried there.
Image source: Museum of the Viking Age, Olaf Væring
#51 San Francisco On Fire In 1906
This chilling photo shows the devastation in San Francisco on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. On that day, Northern California was hit by a major earthquake of magnitude 7.9. Massive fires soon broke out in San Francisco, raging for several days. Over 3,000 people lost their lives, and over 80% of the city was destroyed.
Image source: Chadwick, H. D.
#52 The Opening Of The Burial Shrine In Pharaoh Tutankhamen’s Tomb
Taken by Harry Burton, this photo shows when the doors of the fourth shrine inside Tutankhamun’s burial chamber were finally opened in 1923. It captured the decisive moment before the revelation of the sarcophagus. The protective goddesses, with outstretched wings on the doors, serve as proof that they had reached the heart of the shrines.
Image source: Harry Burton, History
#53 Droves Of Prospectors Crossing The Chilkoot Trail In 1898
In this photo, a multitude of miners and prospectors can be seen climbing the Chikoot trail in 1898. This was during the Klondike Gold Rush of 1896 to 1899, when an estimated 100,000 people followed the trail to reach the gold fields in the Klondike region of Yukon in Canada.
Image source: Hegg, E.A, Hegg, E.A
#54 Ainu People At The Start Of The 20th Century
Pictured are Northern Japan’s Ainu people at the turn of the 20th century. Due to forced assimilation since the 18th century, there were only around 300 native Ainu speakers in 1966. By 1980, fewer than 100 speakers remained, and today the Ainu language is likely extinct, with no known native speakers.
Image source: DrTralfamadorian, Wikipedia
#55 A Bodybuilding Contest In 1941
This is what natural bodybuilders looked like in 1941. Over the next decade, bodybuilding slowly gained recognition as a sport, with notable figures promoting natural, balanced physiques and compound exercises. By the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s, anabolic steroid use became widespread. Physiques then took on a more extreme look, focusing on size and definition.
Image source: Vintage Fashions, Wikipedia
#56 The Iron Lung Ward Of A Hospital In California
Taken in 1953, this photo captures the devastation of the polio epidemic before widespread vaccination began in 1955. At the Rancho Los Amigos Hospital in Downey, California, polio patients (who were unable to breathe on their own) were treated in a large iron lung ward. The iron lung was a life-saving machine that kept them alive by forcing air in and out of their lungs.
Image source: Wikimedia Commons, Wikipedia
#57 Soldiers Being Tended To During The 1916 Battle Of Courcelette
This photo captures wounded Canadian Soldiers at the Battle of Courcelette, in the Somme region during WWI. Having sustained physical injuries, the soldiers are receiving treatment at a dressing table. Interestingly, the photo has been widely circulated, cropped, misattributed, and mistitled as “The Shell-Shocked Soldier”.
Image source: Castle, W.I.
#58 Criminal Alvin Karpis’s Fingertips
Alvin Karpis, a notorious member of the Barker-Karpis gang, was involved in bank robberies, kidnapping, and auto thefts. This photo highlights how he’d attempted to erase his fingerprints with the help of underworld physician Joseph Moran. Karpis was arrested in New Orleans on May 1, 1936, by Director Hoover and FBI agents.
Image source: Wikimedia Commons, Wikipedia
#59 A Rough Water Aircraft Test In 1935
Here, the U.S. Navy’s Consolidated XP3Y-1 prototype (BuNo 9459) is pictured during rough water testing off California’s Catalina Islands in 1935. It was later modified to the XPBY-1, or the very first version of the PBY Catalina. The PBY went on to become the most widely used patrol and rescue aircraft of World War II.
Image source: U.S. Navy, Wikipedia
#60 Aerobic Fever In The 1980s
In 1986, dozens of young people were photographed participating in a large-scale aerobic dancing event at the Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam. Aerobic dance first hit the scene in the 1970s. By the late 1980s, it was a social phenomenon and global fitness craze driven by brightly colored gear and celebrities like Jane Fonda.
Image source: Roland Gerrits / Anefo, Wikipedia
#61 Firefighters Fighting A Large Fire In Amsterdam
There isn’t any clear information about why the firefighters are pictured with a mannequin, but the context is known. On February 16, 1963, a fire broke out, allegedly caused by a short circuit, at the C&A department store on Damrak in Amsterdam. The blaze, considered the largest fire in the city since 1945, destroyed the building despite the firefighters’ efforts.
Image source: Joop van Bilsen / Anefo, Wikipedia
#62 The Statue Of Liberty As Seen From The Torch
Photographed is the Statue of Liberty, shown from the rare perspective of the torch, looking down at the top of the head. Following the “Black Tom” explosion of July 30, 1916, the statue suffered structural damage, prompting authorities to keep the torch permanently closed to the public.
Image source: Library of Congress, NPS
#63 A Street Market In Paris During The 1920s
The bustling scene pictured is of a street market in Paris in 1920. After the First World War ended in 1918 and until the Great Depression in 1931, the French economy boomed. This saw Paris emerge not only as a commercial hub but as a capital of art, music, literature, and cinema.
Image source: Library of Congress, Wikipedia
#64 Inside A Commercial Airplane In 1930
Air travel in the early 20th century was far from the luxury experience we’ve grown accustomed to. The wicker seating in the photo can be traced back to an Imperial Airways commercial plane. This form of seating was popular across airlines throughout the 1920s. By the turn of the 1930s, leather padding and lining were introduced to make the chairs more comfortable.
Image source: BunyipPouch, Snopes
#65 The Guinness Brewery In Dublin
Pictured is the view across the cask yard at St. James’s Gate Guinness Brewery, sometime between 1906 and 1913. Established in 1759, the brewery had an annual output of 1.2 million barrels by 1886, making it the world’s largest brewery. It was considered one of the city’s most outstanding employers during this period.
Image source: The National Archives of Ireland, farhadjaman
#66 King George V Approached By A Beggar
This 1920 photo captures a former soldier turned beggar running alongside King George V’s coach. The lack of security surrounding the royal carriage is alarming, especially since only 6 years earlier, Archduke Franz Ferdinand had been assassinated by a man who approached his vehicle, triggering World War I.
Image source: Nationaal Archief, Rare Historical Photos
#67 A Man Examining Rental Dentures In 1940
During the 1940s, some Americans opted to rent dentures instead of purchasing them outright. Men examining dentures in mirrors reflected not only the era’s economic hardships but also the eerie intimacy of handling someone else’s teeth—a practice that, by today’s standards, might seem grotesque.
Image source: Nationaal Archief
#68 The Mcdonald Brothers In 1948
In this 1948 image, Richard and Maurice McDonald stand in front of the not-yet-opened first McDonald’s. The brothers had closed down their barbecue restaurant to focus on a completely new style of self-service dinner. The menu would be simple: hamburgers, cheeseburgers, French fries, shakes, soft drinks, and apple pie. Meanwhile, the kitchen would be set up like an assembly line for maximum efficiency.
Image source: notbob1959, Vintage Everyday
#69 A Lone Hawaiian Surfer In 1898
Charles Kauha, a Hawaiian surfer, is pictured at Waikiki Beach in 1898, carrying one of the last alaia surfboards. An alaia was a thin, round-nosed, square-tailed surfboard about 200 to 350 cm (7 to 12 ft) long. They weighed up to 50 kg (100 lb) and were generally made out of wood from the Koa Tree. Unlike modern surfboards, alaia surfboards had no ventral fins and relied on their sharp edges to grip the waves.
Image source: Frank Davey, Wikipedia
#70 An Explorer During The British Antarctic Expedition Of 1898 To 1900
Pictured is British explorer Carsten Borchgrevink using a Theodolite or surveying instrument during the British Antarctic Expedition of 1898 to 1900 (also known as the Southern Cross Expedition). Borchgrevink and his team camped at Cape Adare and conducted scientific observations. They’re also credited with pioneering the use of dogs and sleds in Antarctic exploration.
Image source: William Colbeck, William Colbeck
#71 A Female Worker Insulating Stator End Windings In 1914
This photograph was taken in a factory owned by engineer Charles Parsons, renowned for inventing the steam turbine. Following the outbreak of the war in 1914, Parsons’ daughter Rachel, one of the first women to study engineering at Cambridge, trained other female workers entering the industry. These women went on to play a significant role in industrial labor during World War I.
Image source: Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums
#72 One Of The Last Survivors Of The Clotilda Ship
Pictured is Cudjoe Kazoola Lewis, one of the last survivors of the Clotilda, the last recorded slave ship to the U.S. Lewis, along with others who were aboard the Clotilda, helped establish the Mobile Settlement African Town, known today as Africatown. He gained some recognition late in his life when his story was featured in several articles and a book.
Image source: University of South Alabama, University of South Alabama
#73 Private James Marshall Hendrix Of The 101st Airborne In 1962
Jimi Hendrix is pictured playing the guitar at Fort Campbell where he was stationed as a paratrooper in the US Army. Having enlisted only a year prior, Hendrix served in the 101st Airborne Division until 1962, when his military service was cut short by a foot injury.
Image source: SmurferPenguin, Wikipedia
#74 The Indian Army During The First World War
During World War I, over one million Indian troops served overseas, and about 74,000 of them lost their lives. These fatalities were mostly due to the soldiers facing new war technologies, such as machine guns and poison gas, which they weren’t equipped to handle.
Image source: Imperial War Museums, The Guardian
#75 Giant Air Force Camera From WWII
Cameras, as we know them today, are relatively small and easy to transport. However, they haven’t always been this way. During WWII, this massive Kodak K-24 US Air Force Camera was mounted in aircraft and used for mapping and intelligence work. Unbelievably, the camera was thought to be compact at the time despite its relatively large appearance.
Image source: urcameras, Facebook
#76 The Manhattan Bridge Construction In 1909
Officially opening on December 31, 1909, the Manhattan Bridge, pictured here, took 11 years and around $26 million to complete. It was the first suspension bridge to use a Warren Truss in its design, and it was built to carry multi-level roadways, streetcars, and later subway lines.
Image source: Irving Underhill, Wikipedia
#77 An Emancipation Day Celebration In 1900
This group of people was photographed on June 19, 1900. They were celebrating Emancipation Day, better known as Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. Although the oldest celebrations of the federal holiday date back to 1866, it was only signed into law on June 17, 2021.
Image source: Mrs. Charles Stephenson (Grace Murray)
#78 An Elite Family Home In Djenné, Mali, West Africa
This 1906 postcard by Edmond Fortier shows a house in Djenné, Mali, West Africa, with a Toucouleur–style facade. The architectural style of the home closely models that of the palace at Bandiagara, which was built for Tukulor ruler Agibou Tal in 1893. It was likely the work of the same renowned masons from Djenne, suggesting it belonged to an elite family.
Image source: Edmond Fortier, African History Extra.
#79 The Last King Of Hawaii In 1882
David Kalakaua is best known as the last King of Hawaii and as the first monarch to travel the world. Kalakaua went on a 281-day trip in 1881 and visited at least 12 countries. While traveling the world, he encouraged immigration, developed relations with other countries, and promoted Hawaiian culture. Some critics in Hawaii believed he used the trip as an excuse to see the world.
Image source: J.J. Williams, Wikipedia
#80 Día De Muertos In Oaxaca, Mexico In 1940
Although Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) is now a large-scale, tourist-oriented celebration, in the 1940s, it was a more intimate gathering where families would keep vigils at graves or inside homes. This photo captured a private family ritual at a cemetery on Día De Muertos in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Image source: Luis Bartolomé Marcos, The Guardian
#81 Hélène Dutrieu Seated In Her Airplane
Hélène Dutrieu was one of the most decorated Belgian pilots in the 1900s. Surprisingly, Dutrieu began her career as a bicycle racer before receiving her pilot’s license in 1910. In that same year, she became the 1st winner of the Coupe Femina and the first female pilot to carry a passenger in flight. This photo of her seated in her aircraft was captured by the Bain News Service on September 26, 1911.
Image source: Bain News Service, Encyclopedia
#82 Two Women Grinding Coffee In Palestine In 1905
The preparation of coffee in Palestine was and remains an important social and domestic ritual. In the early 1900s, women were responsible for husking, roasting, and grinding coffee for their families to consume. This photo, taken in 1905, captured two women using a mortar and pestle as well as a sieve to prepare coffee.
Image source: Keystone View Company
#83 Segregationists At A Beach In St. Augustine
On June 25, 1964, at a beach in St. Augustine, Florida, black protestors carried out a “wade-in” at a whites-only beach. This photo captured the moment segregationists and protestors clashed in the water, while law enforcement officers desperately tried to stop the chaos. The incident shocked the public, so much so that the Civil Rights Act was passed by Congress just one week later.
Image source: Florida Memory, Civil Rights Trail
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