Rare Historical Photos Capturing A Unique Moment In Time

By: Riley Brown

Photographs often serve as a visual memory bank. They have emotional and sentimental significance. From the viewpoint of an artist, photography depicts the universe and life in a completely new light. Many people only think of photography in terms of its aesthetic and personal value, but they don’t understand its importance in historical documentation.

The fact is, photographs help us record the past events for later review and help connect past and the future events. We hope that the historical gallery we have prepared for you in this list will help you learn something new, connecting you to the past, present, and future.

1. Annie Edson Taylor, the first person to survive a journey over Niagara Falls in a barrel

Annie Edson Taylor had planned to make a fortune via a one-of-a-kind PR stunt. She intended to take a barrel ride over Niagara Falls on her birthday (October 24, 1901). She had a watertight and cushioned barrel specially made for her. As a test, she threw the barrel over the falls with a cat inside, and the feline survived the drop, much to her pleasure and the cat’s happiness.

So, on that 24th day of October, the 63-year-old retired teacher got into the barrel with the help of her companions and secured the lid. She was cast adrift just above the falls, where she would be swept away by the river. After she fell over the falls, she was rescued by an awaiting boat, and the bruised and frightened lady was discovered alive and unharmed.

2. Cigarettes bought from a hospital bed in the 1950s

Prior to the Surgeon General’s warning connecting tobacco use to cancer, heart disease, and a variety of other illnesses, the medical community did not consider smoking to be a health risk. In fact, smoking was considered to soothe a worried person, suppress appetites, and generally be beneficial.

As absurd and counter-productive as it may seem, hospital patients could purchase packets of cigarettes from their hospital beds during this time. They could even smoke in their hospital rooms if they wanted to!

3. A manually operated traffic control machine, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1922

Cars began colliding with one another shortly after the automobile first reached the streets. It became apparent immediately that laws and procedures were required to ensure that individuals did not crash their vehicles into other cars, people, or structures.

Motorists started using traffic signals to know when to halt and when to continue through a junction. Before electric traffic signals, the only alternative was to have manual signals, such as the one seen in the photograph, that were manually changed from “stop” to “go” by a traffic stop operator.

4. A man on top of the Golden Gate Bridge during its construction

Building the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco required a lot of bravery. There was an unspoken rule in the 1930s about high-steel bridge building projects like this one—Engineers should anticipate one death among the employees for every $1 million spent. The $35 million Gold Gate Bridge, on the other hand, had a stellar safety record, with just 11 fatalities.

At least 19 individuals are said to have been saved thanks to a massive net hanging underneath the construction site. The Bridge employees’ survival is a marvel of forethought, and according to the media, a new net is being erected to prevent suicides which have been prevalent over the years.

5. The Historic U.S. Route 50 (The loneliest road in America)

While looking at this photograph, it is easy to see why Route 50 is referred to as “The Loneliest Road in America.” From West Sacramento in California all the way to Ocean City in Maryland (a distance of about 3,073 miles), the roadway traverses vast swaths of barren, arid terrain. 

When Life magazine published its July 1986 edition, the road was dubbed as “The Loneliest Road in America.” Since then, the name has gained popularity, and the state of Nevada has adopted it as a marketing slogan for the road. According to the publication, there are “no places of interest” along the path, and warned people not to travel on it unless they were confident with their “survival abilities.”

6. Women delivering water during WW1

As World War I raged throughout Europe, women were forced to take up tasks that had previously been filled by males, including anything from working in factories to transporting massive blocks of ice to the front lines. The need for this kind of work existed at the time, even before refrigerators were widely available.

Ice distribution was taking place all across the nation at the time, with delivery workers transporting huge blocks of ice around the country on carts and in motor vehicles. The ladies in this photograph delivered ice from a distributor to houses across Manhattan so that the ice could be used to cool down meals. As refrigerators and freezers grew more common, the company gradually went out of business.

7. Robert Wadlow dwarfs the huge Shaquille O'Neal (7' 1)

You probably know who Big Shaq is. Yes, he is a huge basketball player. A wax replica of Robert Wadlow, which is on display in a museum, is seen in the photograph below with the real-life basketball star Shaquille O’Neal standing next to it to provide some perspective on how tall Robert Wadlow, the tallest man in the world, truly was.

With a height of 7” 1”, O’Neal is not accustomed to looking up to anybody, but it is clear from the photo that Shaq is almost two feet shorter than Wadlow at his highest point, which is almost 9 feet tall.

8. Yoda, with his creator Ralph McQuarrie

Everyone who watched The Empire Strikes Back fell in love with Yoda, the mischievous little creature on Dagobah who also happens to be the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy. However, if the original version of Yoda had made it to the screen, the film may not have been released. The original plan for Yoda was to teach a costumed monkey to move around the set instead of using a puppet.

Several team members who worked on 2001: A Space Odyssey years before shot down the concept. Actors had to be recruited to represent the primates since they were difficult to work with. The character we know and love today was created with the assistance of designer Ralph McQuarrie, but aren’t you interested to see Mark Hamill acting with a monkey?

9. A woman standing at a rupture after the San Francisco earthquake in 1906

The 1906 earthquake, which devastated most of San Francisco, left a visible gap all along the San Andreas Fault line, which can still be seen today. Located at the border between the North American Plate and the Pacific Plate, the San Andreas Fault is among the most known active faults on the planet. It was named so after the San Andreas Lake that was formed as a result of the fault, which was discovered in 1895 by geologist Andrew Lawson of the University of California, Berkeley.

After the 1906 earthquake, Professor Lawson established that the fault line ran down to the southern portion of California, which he named the “California Fault Line.” Immediately after the Great Earthquake, the fault line could be clearly seen, as shown in this picture.

10. The Monowheel (Dynasphere) from the 1930s

This bizarre vehicle was based on a design by Leonardo da Vinci! The concept for this wheel, popularly known as a monowheel, was patented in 1930 by a British inventor called Dr. J. A. Purves, who based his design on Da Vinci’s drawing. Purves was so sure that his monowheel would be the next great thing in the automobile world that he even wrote an article about it in the journal “Popular Mechanics.”

The monowheel ran well, but it had a major weakness when it came to braking and accelerating. The force would cause the driver’s carriage to spin around the wheel, similar to when a hamster stops abruptly when running on a wheel. Not pleasant!

11. Painter Bob Ross feeding a baby raccoon

Bob Ross was not a pet owner. This soft-spoken painter was a liberal thinker who had a passion for out-of-the-box creatures. At times, Ross would bring in his small furry buddies, especially rehabilitating wild newborn animals.

He went back to his youth and urged his audience to take care of their furry little pets, recalling his experience trying to milk an alligator in the family bathtub and taking care of an armadillo in his bedroom. Weird right? When he eventually bought his own house, he converted his backyard into an animal rescue facility.

12. A couple of stylish students at the Cambridge University, (1926)

These elegant Cambridge gentlemen were members of a fraternity of academics who attended one of the world’s most renowned universities. Even while Cambridge students were very studious, it didn’t mean they didn’t know how to have a good time.

There was a secret organization on campus at the time called the “Alpine Society,” which only permitted members to join if they could get over the college’s closed gates at night. Can you imagine attempting to climb a fence in these trousers at any hour of the day? They must have been experts in gate climbing.

13. Dad and daughter ride penny-farthings in the 1930s

Penny-farthing bikes were already outdated when this picture was taken in the 1930s. The penny-farthing cycles were popular in the 1870s and 1880s until the advent of contemporary bicycle design. They were distinguished by their oversized front wheel and relatively small rear wheel. This type of bike gets its unusual name from British coinage.

Like the wheels on this bicycle, the penny is considerably bigger than the farthing. We can only presume that the father and daughter in this picture were having fun with an old-fashioned toy since the penny-farthing bike had been replaced by the conventional bicycle at the time this photograph was taken.

14. The knock-up profession of the 1920s used to wake up workers

We now use alarm clocks or mobile phone alarms to get us up in the morning, but folks needed to be on time to work before these devices were created. Those who worked as “knocker-uppers” could be found in most major industrial cities. Knocker-uppers walked about with long sticks, knocking on bedroom windows to ensure that their clients’ workers got out of bed on time.

Knocker-uppers were paid a few pennies each week from their customers, with an additional incentive if they remained at the window, persistently knocking until they were sure the person was up and ready to start their day.

15. Cowboys enjoying a cold drink at a saloon in Tascosa, Texas

It is quite uncommon to find an image like this one depicting cowboys drinking in a bar, playing cards, and loading their six-shooters. The one thing you’ll notice as soon as you see these cowboys is how different they appear from what you see on TV. The hats these guys are wearing don’t have stylish-looking caps attached to them, but rather tall hats that provide ventilation and keep their heads cool.

Additionally, all the riders are wearing chaps to protect their legs from being roughed up when horse riding. Although most people think that a cowboy should look like Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef, this picture clearly depicts a typical cowboy.

16. A little girl hugs the Crufts Dog Show champion in Birmingham, England, in 1935

Bloodhounds, such as Leo, a six-time champion shown in the photograph, are often employed by emergency services to locate lost children, missing persons, and escaped criminals. Bloodhounds are excellent for this job since they have an inherent drive to track and a keen awareness of tiny objects.

Humans have been using bloodhounds to hunt out missing individuals since the Middle Ages. Bloodhounds are believed to be descended from hounds kept and raised in the Belgian Abbey of Saint-Hubert. In this 1935 photograph, Leo seems to be as lovable as he can be, and he enjoys receiving embraces from his human friends.

17. European royalty in London for the funeral of King Edward VII in 1910

Nine reigning monarchs were present during King Edward VII’s burial in 1910. Thankfully, someone saw this as a wonderful picture opportunity and collected the monarchs for a historical image, possibly the only photograph of all nine kings in existence. In the back row, from left to right: King Haakon VII of Norway, Tsar Ferdinand of Bulgaria, King Manuel II from Portugal and the Algarve, Kaiser Wilhelm II from Germany and Prussia, King George I from Greece, and King Albert I from Belgium.

In the front low, seated from left to right are King Alfonso XII from Spain, King George V from the United Kingdom, and King Frederick VIII from Denmark

18. Mark Twain, a celebrated novelist, essayist, lecturer, and humorist (1909)

Samuel Langhorne Clemens grew up on the Mississippi River’s banks and spent his adolescence and early adulthood working on riverboats, where he wrote several of his novels. Even his pen name, Mark Twain, was derived from a riverside phrase that refers to a river depth of two fathoms or deeper. He even chose the Mississippi River as the setting for his most renowned literary masterpiece, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Twain was a writer, essayist, lecturer, and humorist who was renowned for works such as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, A Connecticut Yankee in King Authors’ Court, and The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. He was also a comedian and speaker. Mark Twain was born in 1835, only a few months after the arrival of Halley’s Comet, and he was fond of joking that he had come in with the comet and would go with it as well. He passed away in 1910, the day after the comet made its appearance.

19. The art of Mayan astronomy seen in the Chichen Itza Kukulcan Temple, Mexico

The ancient Mayan people were skilled astronomers with sophisticated techniques for estimating astronomical occurrences that they passed down through generations. They were also skilled builders.

It was common for them to merge their interests in astronomy and building, as can be seen in the Chichen Itza Kukulcan Temple. When the sun’s rays illuminate the pyramid during the spring equinox, a huge serpent-like image is seen in the shadow cast by the sun’s rays on the vast stairway of the temple leading to a stone snake head at the base of the structure.

20. The oldest Harley-Davidson built in 1903

Did you know that Harley-Davidson, America’s most famous motorcycle business, had its start in a shed in Wisconsin? Well, this was when William Harley and the Davidson brothers, Arthur and Walter, began manufacturing bikes in their spare time. When Harley-Davidson was founded, numerous motorcycle start-up businesses were emerging, but the quality and workmanship of the Harley-Davidson enabled it to thrive during a period in which many rivals were forced to close their doors.

The Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee is home to most of the firm’s bikes, including this one, which was the first motorbike the company manufactured in 1903 and which is on display there today.

21. The original Moulin Rouge before it burned down in 1915

The Moulin Rouge, the capital’s first electrified structure, astonished Parisians when it opened in 1885. The design was created by Adolphe Léon Willette, who created a vivid electric-powered façade that would be permanently associated with Paris. This picture of the Moulin Rouge was captured just shortly before a fire of historic proportions destroyed the building in 1915.

Today, the structure was restored and serves as a monument to entertainment that has spanned more than 120 years. Over the years, the Moulin Rouge has constantly evolved to keep up with the ever-changing entertainment industry. The Moulin Rouge has seen it all, from the cancan girls to cabaret to live music. The theater draws over 600,000 people every year due to its popularity.

22. Dolly Parton with husband Carl Dean

Celebrity weddings nowadays may seem as if they were arranged by the publisher of a magazine found at the checkout counter, but the Queen of Country met her spouse the old-fashioned way—at the laundromat. Parton claims they met on her first day in Nashville in 1964, and they stayed in touch for the next two years while her career took off.

Carl, according to Parton, doesn’t even listen to her music; instead, he prefers British rock bands. “Maybe that’s the reason why they get along so well”. She told Good Morning Britain in 2019 that her husband was into heavy rock, Led Zeppelin, and bluegrass music. Although she emphasized that he did not really hate it, he did not go out of his way to play her albums.

23. An Ottoman supply abandoned in the desert after an ambush on the Hejaz Railway

T.E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia, was a fascinating personality to emerge from World War I. While the war was full of daring tales, he stood out as one of the most engaging people to emerge from the war. Moreover, Lawrence’s extensive understanding of combative tactics served him well throughout his years spent working with the Arab people.

He assisted them in methodically taking down the Turkish military. He and the Arabic army attacked Turkey’s Hejaz Railway in order to prevent food, soldiers, and ammunition from being sent across the region. All the trains that Lawrence and his crew brought down are still sitting in the middle of the desert.

24. The imperfect marriage of Jacqueline and John F. Kennedy

During the decade that Jacqueline and John F. Kennedy were married, they had to deal with the challenges of politics and the many, many affairs that he had. Although his most well-known side relationship was with blonde beauty Marilyn Monroe, she was just one of many women he was involved with throughout his marriage to Jackie.

In addition to Priscilla Wear, a White House staff employee, and Judith Exner, a woman allegedly linked to mafia figures Sam Giancana and John Roselli, Kennedy was said to have had sexual relations with many other women during his marriage. However, while Jackie was allegedly aware of these transgressions, she did not approach them in a confrontational manner. Instead, she was certain that he would always come back to her side.

25. Skeleton-dressed entertainers riding horses in a 1920s Halloween event

In the 1920s, people dressed up for Halloween in elaborate costumes, much as they do now. They even dressed up their horses. As eerie as these figures seem, it’s likely that they were part of a parade or perhaps a carnival, so there’s nothing particularly eerie about them.

That being said, if these scary skeletons were just riding about in their full regalia in the middle of the night, that would be a whole other story altogether. Is it appropriate to bring this style back? Is it something that has to be put aside for the time being? This may be the perfect costume if you have horses at your disposal.

26. The ridiculously cheap gas prices of 1939

Think about being able to drop to the petrol station and throw some spare coins on the counter so you can fill up your entire tank; that was how life was in 1939. Obviously, due to inflation, that’s not how things played out; in 1939, 16 cents was equivalent to $2.87 in current money, which is still not terrible, particularly if you live in an age when gasoline consumes a significant portion of your income.

As inflation continued to rise throughout the twentieth century, gas prices increased dramatically, and by the 1970s, Americans were having difficulty eliminating it from their daily lives, something that must have been difficult to comprehend for this gas station employee back in the 1930s.

27. Marilyn Monroe entertaining thousands of soldiers in Korea (1954)

Following her marriage to New York Yankees baseball player, Joe DiMaggio in California in January 1954, Marilyn Monroe and her new husband headed to Japan for their honeymoon. While there, DiMaggio had to attend some baseball clinics, and while doing so, he was forced to take a commercial flight to Korea. Monroe used this time to amuse U.S. military personnel stationed there.

After Monroe’s solo journey, she had more confidence in herself. After she had all that experience traveling by herself, she felt successful. Due to the 10 performances she did in four days, she was convinced that she overcame her stage fear and felt like she could conquer any stage.

28. Funny reaction of Yakini, a baby gorilla in Melbourne Zoo, during a check-up

Take a look at this photo of Yakini responding to a chilly stethoscope if you need any more evidence that humans are comparable to apes. We’ve all been there: the doctor reaches into your robe with their icy stethoscope, and it’s as if you’ve been transported to Antarctica in a matter of seconds.

Yakini, who was born in 1999 and grew up in the spotlight while living at Melbourne’s Werribee Open Range Zoo, is now the group’s leader. According to his caretaker, Kat Thompson, as Yakini grew older, it was only inevitable that he would challenge his father for the role of the group leader. The struggle lasted many months, but it was a delicate one—more of a fight of wills than a brawl. It’s wonderful to watch all the hard work pay off.

29. The photo taken featuring comedy duo Laurel and Hardy

With an insane number of short and feature films under their belts, Laurel and Hardy were some of the most popular comedic duos of the early twentieth century. The duo’s last film performance was in 1951, but by 1954, the men’s careers were all but gone. Hardy had a heart attack that year and dropped 150 pounds as a result; he was also battling cancer at the time.

Hardy had a series of strokes a year after this picture was taken, leaving him in a coma until his death in August of 1957. Stan Laurel gave an interview about their connection a week after his companion died, and he spoke warmly of his fallen buddy.

30. The beautiful but hard to ride Steam Line KJ Henderson motorcycle of 1930

It looks like a bike a superhero would ride, doesn’t it? The bike seems like it would be a lot of fun to ride, but the 1930 Henderson Model KJ Streamline was very unsuitable and difficult to operate. This conventional motorcycle looked very similar to Triumphs and Indians that were manufactured in the early 1900s.

That, of course, was due to the bikes being simpler to handle and cheaper to manufacture. However, looking at this bike, one may admire the refined Art Deco style. During the early stages of development, the bike’s curved panels were pounded into shape in the same manner as the Chrysler Airflow.

31. Conrad Veidt as Gwynplaine inspiring the look of “The Joker”

The Man Who Laughs, a silent German Expressionist film by Paul Leni, is so steeped in the darkness that it’s frequently referred to as a horror movie rather than a melodrama. Gwynplaine (Conrad Veidt), the star of a traveling carnival freak show, who was permanently scarred with a perpetual smile as a result of an accident, is a character everyone remembers in the film.

His role in the film is remembered for being terrifying as well as for serving as an influence for the Joker from DC‘s Batman. In the original concepts of the Joker, we can see definite visual influence from Veidt, even down to his hairdo. Even though the character’s personality has evolved throughout the years, the Joker has always had a touch of “The Man Who Laughs.”

32. Antonio La Cava and his famous "Il Bibliomotocarro"

It may be difficult to find a decent book if you don’t live in a big city, which is why individuals like Antonio La Cava are so inspirational. Since 2003, this retired teacher has driven his “Il Bibliomotocarro” throughout southern Italy, delivering books to youngsters and adults alike. He plays an instrument to announce his arrival, and then he allows everyone in the vicinity to look through his books.

When La Cava was asked why he does so, he said that reading should be enjoyable rather than a chore and that reading indifference often begins in schools when the skill is taught but not accompanied by affection.

33. Model Goldie Jamison Conklin of the Seneca native tribe

Conklin grew up on the Allegany Reserve in South Western New York, where she was a Seneca Native American tribe member. However, these photographs of the gorgeous young lady catapulted her from being a kid on a reservation to a full-time model.

The photograph of Conklin was shot as part of the Cattaraugus Cutlery Company of Little Valley, New York’s marketing campaign for their “Indian Brand” blades, depicting her dressed in traditional headdresses and costumes for the occasion. However, there isn’t much known about Conklin other than the fact that she died in 1974 after living a relatively long life.

34. Cold, snowy dawn in London (1950s)

England is not renowned for having very pleasant weather. Even when it is not raining and cloudy, it is snowing and freezing outside. However, no amount of terrible weather can deter the hardy Londoners from getting their work done.

From the photograph, the gentleman is crossing the snow-covered Westminster Bridge, which spans across the Thames River in the center of London. An iconic London double-decker bus has just gone by, and in the distance, people can see the renowned clock tower known as Big Ben keeping watch over them.

35. Robin Williams and his fans outside a homeless shelter in Boston (1988)

When Robin Williams wasn’t onstage or ripping it up in front of the camera, he was giving back to those who didn’t have nearly as much as he had. Aside from his role as one of the presenters of Comic Relief, a program that raised millions of dollars for those in need, Williams volunteered his own time to assist individuals who were homeless. Mayor Ray Flynn said that anytime Robin was in town, he could always be counted on to come down and spend time with those who were less fortunate.

As reported by CBS, Flynn said he went to the Long Island Shelter, which was a hospital that he had recently constructed, and a shelter for homeless people in Boston, in order to get them off the cold streets, and that he was “phenomenal.” He was just entertaining the whole group of homeless individuals as well as the staff.

36. John Matuszak takes on the role of Sloth In the 1985 film The Goonies

Sloth, the huge, deformed brother of the Fratelli’s, was one of the most endearing characters in the 1985 film The Goonies and John Matuszak played the role. However, the 6-foot-8, 280-pound NFL defensive lineman is most known for his two Super Bowl victories with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders.

Makeup artists worked for hours to turn John Matuszak into the deformed, Baby Ruth bar-eating and misunderstood monster. The audience empathizes with Sloth, who is abused horribly by his family and held shackled—and they cheer for him as he assists the Goonies in locating the treasure and escaping.

37. Colored photo of the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, 20 years before her assassination (1887)

Elizabeth Feodorovna was perhaps the most tragic of all the royals from the Victorian and Edwardian eras. In 1884, she married Sergei, a son of Alexander II, who was born on November 1, 1864. She relocated to St. Petersburg in 1891 and converted to Russian Orthodoxy at that time. After Sergei was murdered in 1905, Elizabeth stopped eating meat, sold her possessions, and started a convent to assist the sick and aged of Moscow. She gained no political favor because of this.

In 1918, she was imprisoned on Lenin’s orders and banished to Perm before being relocated to Yekaterinburg and then Alapayevsk. She was then taken to an abandoned iron mine, blindfolded, and marched to the bottom, where she was repeatedly beaten and dumped into the pit, after which the captors tossed in some grenades and blew up the pit.

38. The changing size of the donut hole

For all those who have ever wondered how the size of a donut hole has changed over time, surprisingly this data was documented as seen in the historic image below. Within 21 years the hole in the center of a donut went from 1 ½ inches to ⅜ inches in diameter.

While having a diagram of this information is a bit peculiar, none of us will probably complain about this decrease in size as less donut hole means more donut. It is quite likely that the 1927 donut shape was truly meant for dunking in a beverage, thus it has a larger donut hole for people to hold and dunk their donuts easier.

39. The voice acting children behind the “Peanuts” characters

This unique image taken in the 1960s depicts the cast of the “Peanuts” running their lines in a recording studio. The creator of the popular comic strip, Charles Schultz, thought it was very important for his youthful characters to be brought to life by actual child voices.

All the characters were cast with children who were around the same age as what their ages were in the comics. Cathy Steinberg who played Charlie Brown’s younger sister Sally was just 4 years old when she was hired for the role.

40. 1940s Princess Elizabeth at the age of 14

While Queen Elizabeth II has been Queen of England for 69 years, there was a time when she was only a princess. Here we see a rare photo of the well-known princess at the young age of just 14 years old.

As a teenager, Princess Elizabeth would stage pantomimes around Christmas time in which the proceeds would go towards purchasing yarn for military uniforms per the Queen’s Wool Fund. The princess appeared on her first radio broadcast in 1940 for BBC’s Children’s Hour in which she addressed a child audience after blitzkrieg.

41. The 1930s version of LinkedIn

Today, finding a job can be as simple as searching for positions on Google, LinkedIn, Indeed, and other helpful job sites. In this historic photo, we see a gentleman attempting to promote his skills with a sign attached to him during the aftermath of The Great Depression.

The Great Depression in October 1929 devastated the stock market and American economy. This man represents the millions of Americans who were directly affected by the economic crash and wound up out of work for months to come.