There’s something about old pics that’s downright captivating. Maybe it’s the fact that they represent something that was lost long ago. Perhaps it’s because photos from a pre-digital age feel more significant than modern snapshots.
Whatever the reason, the pics below will have a way of sticking with you long after you’ve finished reading.
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Safe haven.
The man in the middle should be immediately recognizable as Albert Einstein. Along with his secretary Helen (left) and daughter Margaret (right), he’s taking an oath to become a U.S. citizen so he doesn’t have to return to Nazi Germany.
Times have changed.
This 1957 snapshot from a Portland, Oregon hospital truly captures a bygone era: the time when it was perfectly normal to buy a pack of smokes from your nurse as you lie in a hospital bed.
New tech always fascinates.
In 1936, barely anyone could afford a television but this demo unit in London’s Waterloo station provided working class commuters with a small vision of the future.
Chaos reigns.
Yes, it’s a chaotic photo, but it shows something that went pretty smoothly. In 1967, Sweden switched from driving on the left side of the road to the right. It was a weird day when it happened, but people got on board pretty quickly.
Where’s the rubber?
Because of rubber shortages during the First World War, automakers were forced to get creative. This German vehicle has spring-loaded wheels rather than a set of Goodyears.
A lasting impression.
The haunted expressions on the faces of these Vietnamese kids capture the terror of war. They’re taking refuge near a canal bank, along with U.S. paratroopers, during the Vietnam War in 1966.
When terror came to England.
The long-running Troubles conflict in Northern Ireland threatened to rip the country apart. Occasionally, terrorists would cross the Irish Sea and target England. This photo shows the aftermath of a car bomb in Manchester in 1996.
Plea to the mob.
Anti-German protests in London during World War I frequently targeted innocent business owners of German descent. Local Russians displayed their nationality on large signs, hoping their businesses would be spared.
Last of its kind.
This is a bit of a sad photo. It shows Benjamin, the last-ever Tasmanian tiger, in a zoo in 1933. When Benjamin passed away, it marked total extinction for this unique creature.
Not-so-distant past.
This 1936 photo shows Willis Winn, a former slave. He’s holding the long horn that slave masters used to summon slaves from the fields. It’s a powerful reminder of America’s long-running racial inequality.
Shadows of armageddon.
The bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 were the most powerful that have ever been used to target human settlements. Their flash was so bright that they left permanent shadows on the walls and sidewalks.
Finally.
The relief on the faces of these Jewish prisoners is palpable. They’ve just been liberated from a death train that was en route to a Nazi concentration camp.
Those colors!
This photo, captured by Louis Lumière in 1907, shows a rich, colorful setting. It’s one of the first photos ever to be taken in color.
Recognize that face?
This dapper member of the Air Force is seen posing in a 1955 photo. In case it wasn’t already immediately apparent, this shows a young Morgan Freeman.
It’s just rocket science.
Before advanced computers, this is what calculations looked like at NASA HQ. In 1957, when this pic was taken, engineers were desperately trying to catch up to the Soviets in the Space Race.
Rare candor.
We’re so used to the subjects of Victorian-era photos looking stiff and proper that it’s almost shocking to see genuine emotion. This photo dates back to the late 19th, or possibly early 20th, century.
The first of many.
Millions of photos have been taken of New York over the years, but only one can be the first. This 1848 photo, showing the Upper West Side and Broadway, is believed to be the first photo ever taken of the Big Apple.
Immortalized.
This pic shows eight-year-old Lynda Gunn. She served as the model for artist Norman Rockwell’s painting, “The Problem We All Live With,” which depicted Ruby Bridges, an African American girl on her way to an all-white school.
Q&A.
These are a couple of shots of Milla Jovovich answering fan questions on AOL in 1995. Many people still don’t consider 1995 to be that long ago, but even looking at these pics you can see how times have changed.
Certified fans only.
This was the check-in for Comic-Con in San Diego, 1980. I’m someone who still goes to comic conventions, and seeing where and how they started is really interesting!
Collective strength.
Taken in 1992, this picture shows three sisters, Rivka, Leah, and Esther, posing and showing off their tattoos from Auschwitz. The power and strength in their expressions is breathtaking.
The man behind the music.
This is Hans Zimmer, famed composer for movies such as Interstellar , Inception , and Dunkirk . That thing behind him? His Moog Modular Synthesizer in 1980, the machine he used to compose many a song and build his reputation.
Marching for peace.
In 1976, a group of Vietnam veterans took to the streets of Philadelphia, along with others, to protest the Vietnam War.
Counter-culture.
This photo is of the uploader’s mother in 1983 when she was 16. They explain that nose rings are part of their culture, and that their mother had her nose pierced at five years old. Someone else went on to muse over how in one culture, nose rings are standard and expected, while in others, they’re a sign of rebellion!
A celebration of music.
Behold, the crowd at Woodstock in 1969. Despite there being a few festivals these days that could easily compete in size and attendance, looking at this is still astounding.
Trial run.
This group is watching the chest burst scene from Alien in 1979. This reminds me of the story my mom told me of when she saw the first A Nightmare on Elm Street movie. She had nightmares for weeks, and we’d barely consider it gross these days!
Power team.
In 1978, behind the scenes of Invasion of the Body Snatchers stands Leonard Nimoy, Donald Sutherland, and Jeff Goldblum, with Goldblum looking as effortlessly cool as humanly possible.
Big assignment.
A Redditor posted this photo of their granddad. Taken a couple of weeks before he participated in the Allied invasion on D-Day, this photo just radiates confidence.
Statuesque.
This is Chief Wolf Robe of the Cheyenne, 1899. He was awarded the Benjamin Harrison Peace Medal in 1890 for his assistance in creating the Cherokee commission, long after being forced to relocate his tribe to a reservation in the late 1870s.
Home on the range.
A Redditor posted these pics. They show a couple building their house back in 1953, along with some images of the house over the years. It’s still owned by the same people.
