I can’t believe how things have changed from the past, but these rare and captivating pictures testify to how different (and sometimes similar) life used to be.
The photographers for sure didn’t realize the significance of the picture they took and how millions of people would marvel at them in the future.
These images are fascinating – you’d never imagine people would do this in the past.
The first selfie in history, 1839. (That we know of)
Robert Cornelius took this photo outside his family’s story. It became famous for being the first self portrait or as we know it now, a “selfie.”
People posing in front of the Statue Of Liberty’s face as it’s being unpacked from France. (1886)
This hilarious self-portrait of a woman taken during mid-sneeze (1990). Great timing!
A “knocker-up” waking up clients who hired him to be their alarm clock.
Nine kings come together to mourn the death of King Edward VII (1910).
This photograph is famous for possibly having the most kings ever together in one image. Represented are Norway, Bulgaria, Portugal, the German Empire, Greece, Belgium, Spain, Great Britain, and Denmark.
“Pin Boys” work to manually set up the pins…this was before automatic pinsetters were invented. (1914)
Sarcastic photograph of anti-prohibitionists mocking their opponents during 1919.
This police officer on a Harley is transporting his prisoner with an old-fashioned mobile cell (1921).
An early example of “planking” which was called “horsemanning” in the 1920s.
Two winners of the 1922 Beauty Pageant…notice no thigh gap for the girl on the left. Beauty standards were much different back then.
A beach official measures these women’s bathing suits to ensure they aren’t too short. (1920s)
Suits could not end more than 6 inches above the knee or they were prohibited.
A couple having fun on an old fashioned zipline. (1923)
This strange looking helmet supposedly help focus a person by rendering them deaf, piping them full of oxygen, and narrowing their vision to a tiny slit in the mask. (1925)
A slightly terrifying 1920s full faced swimming mask that was designed to protect a woman’s face from the hot sun.
Hitler rehearsing a speech in front of the mirror (1925).
The LA Public Library had a bookmobile program for the sick at home. (1928)
This zookeeper gives his penguins a delightful shower from a watering can. (1930)
Meet the One Wheel Motorcycle, with capabilities of reaching a top speed of 93 mph. (1931)
A cat posing for a cigarette card which is part of the Army Club Cigarettes. (1932)
Makers of the famous London Double-Decker prove their vehicles aren’t a tipping hazard. (1933)
Baby cages for 1930 apartment families who were afraid their infants weren’t getting enough sunlight.
An iconic photograph of a concerned pea-picker and mother of seven children during the Dust Bowl days. (1936)
These glasses were specifically invented for reading in bed. Genius!
This is the 1930’s version of a GPS: An auto-scrolling map that attempted to help people with directions in real time.
Model T “Elevator Garage” in Chicago. (1936)
Coco Chanel and Salvador Dalí sharing a smoke together. (1938)
“Face Cones”: the fashionable way to protect oneself during a snowstorm (1939).
This bicycle invention fit a family of four, including a sewing machine. (1939).
Babies wearing gas masks during a 1940s London bombing drill.
The last kiss before these WWII soldiers deploy.
A puppy snuggling between two Russian soldiers for a snooze. (1945)
An Austrian boy couldn’t be more excited about his first pair of new shoes in years. (1946)
A baby bear slurping up a bowl full of honey in a cafe. (1950)
Someone dressed up his dog in a suit, and then plopped a cat on his lap. (1950s)
This is an ice-cold whisky dispenser, sometimes found in offices. (1950s)
The winner of the 1950 “Miss Atomic Bomb” pageant.
Afghan women reading at a public library during the 1950s.
The Afghanistan government was starting to shift towards democracy in the 1950s and 60s before the Taliban took over. Women could freely work, become educated, dress casually and use many of the modern day services that men could.
A young Paul McCartney taking a mirror selfie. (1959)
(Colorized) Young ladies hosting a 1950s hose party.
Fidel Castro pays his respects by laying a wreath at the Lincoln Memorial. (1959)
Fritz the bulldog, a TV celebrity, is receiving a shave by this barber. (1961)
This is called the Cat-Mew Machine. (1963)
A Japanese machine meows several times per minute to scare away rats and mice. The eyes light up too.
A young woman taking her pet lobster out for a stroll.
Young boy attending Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech, 28th Aug 1963.
Looks at these “TV Glasses”… they never quite caught on. (1963)
“The Kiss of Life” – This iconic photo shows a utility worker receiving mouth-to-mouth after being electrocuted. He survived. (1967).
A young Osama Bin Laden with his family visiting Sweden during the 1970s. He is second from the right in a green shirt.
Do you recognize Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham? They’re playing volleyball together in this shot. (1971)
[Credit via Distractify.com]
There are so many things we did differently back then, but these photos show the raw spirit of human beings never changes.
We have the choice as a species to be compassionate, curious, inventive and to persevere through the toughest of times.
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