These rare old photos from the USA can reveal fascinating aspects of the country’s past, capturing moments of triumph, tragedy, and everyday life that shaped American history. Some of them are well-known, while others are hidden gems that deserve more attention.
Mark Twain in Tesla’s lab, 1894
A 10 x 15-foot wooden shed where the “Harley-Davidson Motor Company” started out in 1903
Testing football helmets in 1912
Helmets again: A Pyramid of captured German ones in front of the NYC Grand Central Terminal, 1918
A bar in New York City, the night before prohibition began,1920
Mount Rushmore before carving, 1920s
Traffic jam in New York, 1923
A quiet little job at an alligator farm in St. Augustine, Florida, 1926
World economic crisis, 1929
Central Park in 1930
Last four couples standing at a Chicago dance marathon, ca. 1930
Meeting of the Mickey Mouse Club, early 1930s
Confederate and Union soldiers shake hands across the wall at the 1938 reunion for the Veterans of the Battle of Gettysburg
When they realized women were using their sacks to make clothes for their children, flour mills of the 30s started using flowered fabric for their sacks, 1939
Coney Island, New York, 1940
A man begging for his wife’s forgiveness inside Divorce Court, Chicago, 1948
Three young women wash their clothes in Central Park during a water shortage. New York, 1949
19 year-old Shigeki Tanaka was a survivor of the bombing of Hiroshima and went on to win the 1951 Boston Marathon. The crowd was silent as he crossed the finish line.
Florida’s last Civil War veteran, Bill Lundy, poses with a jet fighter, 1955
NASA scientists with their board of calculations, 1960’s
Muhammad Ali’s fists after the fight with Cooper, 1963
New York firemen play a game after a fire in a billiard parlor, 1969
An abandoned baby sleeps peacefully in a drawer at the Los Angeles Police Station, 1971
Boy hiding in a TV set. Boston, 1972 by Arthur Tress
A spectator holds up a sign at the Academy Awards, April 1974
Robert De Niro’s cab driver license. In order to get into character for the film Taxi Driver, he obtained his own hack license and would pick-up/drive customers around in New York City.
Nancy Reagan sits on the lap of Mr. T, dressed as Santa, 1983
Ronald Reagan wearing sweatpants on Air Force One, 1985
Rarely Seen “Enchanted” Moments of US History Part 2
Rarely Seen “Enchanted” Moments of World History Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
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In the NYC traffic jam, where are the trolley wires?
The photo described as “testing football helmets” is a photo from the April 6, 1912 issue of “Flight” magazine where it is captioned “HOW TO TEST A SAFETY HELMET – Mr. W.T. Warren, wearing a helmet of his invention, takes a flying leap at the hangar to demonstrate its utility. Interested spectators to the rear are Messrs. Lewis Turner, W.H. Ewen, and A.M. Ramsey.” So it’s not necessarily a football helmet. Probably a pilot’s helmet judging by the use of a hangar in the test. http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2011205#post26293775
And the fact that it’s in FLIGHT magazine.
The B-17E photo was taken at MacDill Field, Tampa, FL. That one (with crew identified) and more from that feature are on my website feature about the history of MacDill Field and photos from their 1976 air show. http://www.tampapix.com/airshow2.htm.
Dan, thanks for your comments. I like your version of this photo with the crew and the stuff they take with them identified. Did you use javascript for the hover effect?
Great pics
I commend you for updating the captions based on verified feedback in the comments.
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Thanks a lot Izmir! Best wishes to you as well.