30 Captivating Historical Photos

Nathan Johnson Published 09/04/2024 in wow

Take a trip back in time with this fascinating collection of photos from history.

History is way more interesting when you can see what you're learning about. This is in part why all history textbooks have some form of art depicting Mesopotamian fields or Pharaoh's tombs. It's also why there are so many doodles in those same textbooks, sometimes some art isn't enough to keep a bored fifth grader entertained.

That's not a problem we have here. As you can see, the only history we're concerned with is the history we can see with our own eyes.

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1.
Portraits of a father and son having fun. Ca. 1910s.
2.
Young people dancing to jazz music at the Storyville Club. Copenhagen, Denmark. 1952. Photo by Helmer Lund Hansen.
3.
Three lacemakers at work. Brittany, France. Ca. 1920.
4.
Two Victorian ladies making a fancy snow lady. Pangbourne, England. Published in Strand Magazine in 1892.
5.
A message-carrying pigeon being released from a port-hole in the side of a British Mark V tank, during WW1. Near Albert, France. 1918.
6.
Facade of department store with five floors covered in coats. As part of a coat sale and early marketing stunt. The campaign attracted so many customers that the police had to step in. All the coats were sold. Copenhagen, Denmark. 1936.
7.
An Apsaroke mother and her child. Montana, USA. 1908.
8.
Canadian police officer guarding a pharmacy during a flood. Galt, Ontario, Canada. 1974.
9.
The Black Gate, the spire of St Nicholas Cathedral and The Dog Leap Stairs in Newcastle, England. 1889.
10.
Spectators viewing the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Gulf of Naples, Italy. 1944.
11.
German troops singing around a Christmas tree in their trench on the Eastern Front during World War I. 1914.
12.
A couple roller-skating. Berlin, Germany. Ca. 1905.
13.
Detonation of a nuclear bomb. Nevada Test Site, Nevada, USA. March 29, 1955. The detonation was a part of “Operation Teapot”. The operation included 14 nuclear test explosions conducted in early 1955.
14.
A Friedrichshafen FF.49, two-seat reconnaissance seaplane, crashed into the roof of a building. Germany. Ca. 1918-1919.
15.
Italian grocery store owned by the Ronga brothers. New York City, USA. January 1943.
16.
The interior of a lounge train car from the Canadian Pacific Railway Company. Montreal, Canada. Ca. 1886.
17.
French painter Claude Monet by his waterlily pond in Giverny, France. 1905.
18.
Soviet dancers and gymnasts during a rehearsal for the opening ceremonies of the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympic Games. Moscow, USSR. July 17, 1980.
19.
A U.S. Marine slides down the marble handrail in Saddam Hussein’s palace. Tikrit, Iraq, 2003. Photo by Ashley Gilbertson. The enormous Palace contained rugs and antiquities worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. The palace was built in Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit. The city of Tikrit had the highest number of luxurious palaces built during Saddam’s rule, somewhere between 60 and over 100.
20.
Joe Fortes knoen as Vancouver's first official lifeguard. Originally from Barbados, Joe saved dozens of lives. English Bay Beach, Vancouver, Canada. 1905.
21.
48 cars in a elevator parking garage in Downtown Chicago’s business district, USA. Built by the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, 1936
22.
King Frederick IX of Denmark showing off his tattooed upper body. The king had a passion for sailing and bodybuilding. The photo was leaked to Life Magazine in 1951.
23.
Contrails in the sky above St Paul’s Cathedral from a dogfight between the German Luftwaffe and the Royal Airforce during the Battle of Britain. 1940. London, England.
24.
Tourist and his car at the edge of the Grand Canyon. Arizona, USA. 1914.
25.
The church La Sagrada Família. Barcelona, Spain. 1905. The church is still under construction today.
26.
American photographer Margaret Bourke-White on top off the Chrysler Building. New York, USA. 1930. Bourke-White was the first American female war photojournalist.
27.
Two young children sitting in the streets of one of the worst slums in London. England. 1903.
28.
The control room of the German WW1 submarine SM UB-110. 1918.
29.
Photo of Charles C. Ebbets. The photographer behind the famous “lunch atop a skyscraper” photo taken in 1932. Ebbets wasn’t officially recognized as the photographer until 2003. New York, USA. 1932.
30.
The 3,000 men who helped construct the 810 ft (246 m) high Chase Manhattan Bank pose for a photo near the end of the constructional work. New York City, USA. August 1964.

1.
Portraits of a father and son having fun. Ca. 1910s.
2.
Young people dancing to jazz music at the Storyville Club. Copenhagen, Denmark. 1952. Photo by Helmer Lund Hansen.
3.
Three lacemakers at work. Brittany, France. Ca. 1920.
4.
Two Victorian ladies making a fancy snow lady. Pangbourne, England. Published in Strand Magazine in 1892.
5.
A message-carrying pigeon being released from a port-hole in the side of a British Mark V tank, during WW1. Near Albert, France. 1918.
6.
Facade of department store with five floors covered in coats. As part of a coat sale and early marketing stunt. The campaign attracted so many customers that the police had to step in. All the coats were sold. Copenhagen, Denmark. 1936.
7.
An Apsaroke mother and her child. Montana, USA. 1908.
8.
Canadian police officer guarding a pharmacy during a flood. Galt, Ontario, Canada. 1974.
9.
The Black Gate, the spire of St Nicholas Cathedral and The Dog Leap Stairs in Newcastle, England. 1889.
10.
Spectators viewing the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Gulf of Naples, Italy. 1944.
11.
German troops singing around a Christmas tree in their trench on the Eastern Front during World War I. 1914.
12.
A couple roller-skating. Berlin, Germany. Ca. 1905.
13.
Detonation of a nuclear bomb. Nevada Test Site, Nevada, USA. March 29, 1955. The detonation was a part of “Operation Teapot”. The operation included 14 nuclear test explosions conducted in early 1955.
14.
A Friedrichshafen FF.49, two-seat reconnaissance seaplane, crashed into the roof of a building. Germany. Ca. 1918-1919.
15.
Italian grocery store owned by the Ronga brothers. New York City, USA. January 1943.
16.
The interior of a lounge train car from the Canadian Pacific Railway Company. Montreal, Canada. Ca. 1886.
17.
French painter Claude Monet by his waterlily pond in Giverny, France. 1905.
18.
Soviet dancers and gymnasts during a rehearsal for the opening ceremonies of the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympic Games. Moscow, USSR. July 17, 1980.
19.
A U.S. Marine slides down the marble handrail in Saddam Hussein’s palace. Tikrit, Iraq, 2003. Photo by Ashley Gilbertson. The enormous Palace contained rugs and antiquities worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. The palace was built in Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit. The city of Tikrit had the highest number of luxurious palaces built during Saddam’s rule, somewhere between 60 and over 100.
20.
Joe Fortes knoen as Vancouver's first official lifeguard. Originally from Barbados, Joe saved dozens of lives. English Bay Beach, Vancouver, Canada. 1905.
21.
48 cars in a elevator parking garage in Downtown Chicago’s business district, USA. Built by the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, 1936
22.
King Frederick IX of Denmark showing off his tattooed upper body. The king had a passion for sailing and bodybuilding. The photo was leaked to Life Magazine in 1951.
23.
Contrails in the sky above St Paul’s Cathedral from a dogfight between the German Luftwaffe and the Royal Airforce during the Battle of Britain. 1940. London, England.
24.
Tourist and his car at the edge of the Grand Canyon. Arizona, USA. 1914.
25.
The church La Sagrada Família. Barcelona, Spain. 1905. The church is still under construction today.
26.
American photographer Margaret Bourke-White on top off the Chrysler Building. New York, USA. 1930. Bourke-White was the first American female war photojournalist.
27.
Two young children sitting in the streets of one of the worst slums in London. England. 1903.
28.
The control room of the German WW1 submarine SM UB-110. 1918.
29.
Photo of Charles C. Ebbets. The photographer behind the famous “lunch atop a skyscraper” photo taken in 1932. Ebbets wasn’t officially recognized as the photographer until 2003. New York, USA. 1932.
30.
The 3,000 men who helped construct the 810 ft (246 m) high Chase Manhattan Bank pose for a photo near the end of the constructional work. New York City, USA. August 1964.

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NEXT GALLERY 22 Fascinating Photos of Our Wonderful World

1. Portraits of a father and son having fun. Ca. 1910s.

2. Young people dancing to jazz music at the Storyville Club. Copenhagen, Denmark. 1952. Photo by Helmer Lund Hansen.

3. Three lacemakers at work. Brittany, France. Ca. 1920.

4. Two Victorian ladies making a fancy snow lady. Pangbourne, England. Published in Strand Magazine in 1892.

5. A message-carrying pigeon being released from a port-hole in the side of a British Mark V tank, during WW1. Near Albert, France. 1918.

6. Facade of department store with five floors covered in coats. As part of a coat sale and early marketing stunt. The campaign attracted so many customers that the police had to step in. All the coats were sold. Copenhagen, Denmark. 1936.

7. An Apsaroke mother and her child. Montana, USA. 1908.

8. Canadian police officer guarding a pharmacy during a flood. Galt, Ontario, Canada. 1974.

9. The Black Gate, the spire of St Nicholas Cathedral and The Dog Leap Stairs in Newcastle, England. 1889.

10. Spectators viewing the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Gulf of Naples, Italy. 1944.

11. German troops singing around a Christmas tree in their trench on the Eastern Front during World War I. 1914.

12. A couple roller-skating. Berlin, Germany. Ca. 1905.

13. Detonation of a nuclear bomb. Nevada Test Site, Nevada, USA. March 29, 1955. The detonation was a part of “Operation Teapot”. The operation included 14 nuclear test explosions conducted in early 1955.

14. A Friedrichshafen FF.49, two-seat reconnaissance seaplane, crashed into the roof of a building. Germany. Ca. 1918-1919.

15. Italian grocery store owned by the Ronga brothers. New York City, USA. January 1943.

16. The interior of a lounge train car from the Canadian Pacific Railway Company. Montreal, Canada. Ca. 1886.

17. French painter Claude Monet by his waterlily pond in Giverny, France. 1905.

18. Soviet dancers and gymnasts during a rehearsal for the opening ceremonies of the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympic Games. Moscow, USSR. July 17, 1980.

20. Joe Fortes knoen as Vancouver's first official lifeguard. Originally from Barbados, Joe saved dozens of lives. English Bay Beach, Vancouver, Canada. 1905.

21. 48 cars in a elevator parking garage in Downtown Chicago’s business district, USA. Built by the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, 1936

22. King Frederick IX of Denmark showing off his tattooed upper body. The king had a passion for sailing and bodybuilding. The photo was leaked to Life Magazine in 1951.

23. Contrails in the sky above St Paul’s Cathedral from a dogfight between the German Luftwaffe and the Royal Airforce during the Battle of Britain. 1940. London, England.

24. Tourist and his car at the edge of the Grand Canyon. Arizona, USA. 1914.

25. The church La Sagrada Família. Barcelona, Spain. 1905. The church is still under construction today.

26. American photographer Margaret Bourke-White on top off the Chrysler Building. New York, USA. 1930. Bourke-White was the first American female war photojournalist.

27. Two young children sitting in the streets of one of the worst slums in London. England. 1903.

28. The control room of the German WW1 submarine SM UB-110. 1918.

29. Photo of Charles C. Ebbets. The photographer behind the famous “lunch atop a skyscraper” photo taken in 1932. Ebbets wasn’t officially recognized as the photographer until 2003. New York, USA. 1932.

30. The 3,000 men who helped construct the 810 ft (246 m) high Chase Manhattan Bank pose for a photo near the end of the constructional work. New York City, USA. August 1964.

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1.
Portraits of a father and son having fun. Ca. 1910s.

2.
Young people dancing to jazz music at the Storyville Club. Copenhagen, Denmark. 1952. Photo by Helmer Lund Hansen.

3.
Three lacemakers at work. Brittany, France. Ca. 1920.

4.
Two Victorian ladies making a fancy snow lady. Pangbourne, England. Published in Strand Magazine in 1892.

5.
A message-carrying pigeon being released from a port-hole in the side of a British Mark V tank, during WW1. Near Albert, France. 1918.

6.
Facade of department store with five floors covered in coats. As part of a coat sale and early marketing stunt. The campaign attracted so many customers that the police had to step in. All the coats were sold. Copenhagen, Denmark. 1936.

7.
An Apsaroke mother and her child. Montana, USA. 1908.

8.
Canadian police officer guarding a pharmacy during a flood. Galt, Ontario, Canada. 1974.

9.
The Black Gate, the spire of St Nicholas Cathedral and The Dog Leap Stairs in Newcastle, England. 1889.

10.
Spectators viewing the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Gulf of Naples, Italy. 1944.

11.
German troops singing around a Christmas tree in their trench on the Eastern Front during World War I. 1914.

12.
A couple roller-skating. Berlin, Germany. Ca. 1905.

13.
Detonation of a nuclear bomb. Nevada Test Site, Nevada, USA. March 29, 1955. The detonation was a part of “Operation Teapot”. The operation included 14 nuclear test explosions conducted in early 1955.

14.
A Friedrichshafen FF.49, two-seat reconnaissance seaplane, crashed into the roof of a building. Germany. Ca. 1918-1919.

15.
Italian grocery store owned by the Ronga brothers. New York City, USA. January 1943.

16.
The interior of a lounge train car from the Canadian Pacific Railway Company. Montreal, Canada. Ca. 1886.

17.
French painter Claude Monet by his waterlily pond in Giverny, France. 1905.

18.
Soviet dancers and gymnasts during a rehearsal for the opening ceremonies of the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympic Games. Moscow, USSR. July 17, 1980.

20.
Joe Fortes knoen as Vancouver's first official lifeguard. Originally from Barbados, Joe saved dozens of lives. English Bay Beach, Vancouver, Canada. 1905.

21.
48 cars in a elevator parking garage in Downtown Chicago’s business district, USA. Built by the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, 1936

22.
King Frederick IX of Denmark showing off his tattooed upper body. The king had a passion for sailing and bodybuilding. The photo was leaked to Life Magazine in 1951.

23.
Contrails in the sky above St Paul’s Cathedral from a dogfight between the German Luftwaffe and the Royal Airforce during the Battle of Britain. 1940. London, England.

24.
Tourist and his car at the edge of the Grand Canyon. Arizona, USA. 1914.

25.
The church La Sagrada Família. Barcelona, Spain. 1905. The church is still under construction today.

26.
American photographer Margaret Bourke-White on top off the Chrysler Building. New York, USA. 1930. Bourke-White was the first American female war photojournalist.

27.
Two young children sitting in the streets of one of the worst slums in London. England. 1903.

28.
The control room of the German WW1 submarine SM UB-110. 1918.

29.
Photo of Charles C. Ebbets. The photographer behind the famous “lunch atop a skyscraper” photo taken in 1932. Ebbets wasn’t officially recognized as the photographer until 2003. New York, USA. 1932.

30.
The 3,000 men who helped construct the 810 ft (246 m) high Chase Manhattan Bank pose for a photo near the end of the constructional work. New York City, USA. August 1964.