The early teen bicycle messengers, 1908-1917
“George Christopher, Postal Tel. #7, 14 years old. Been at it over 3 years. Does not work nights. Location: Nashville, Tennessee”. November, 1910. In 1908, the National Child Labor Committee hired Lewis Hine, a New York sociologist, and photographer, to…
40 Incredible Colorized Photos Show What Life of the U.S. Looked Like in the 1930s and ’40s
The Great Depression was the worst economic downturn in the history of the industrialized world, lasting from 1929 to 1939. It began after the stock market crash of October 29, 1929, the “Black Tuesday”, which sent Wall Street into a…
Stunning vintage photos of the Marine Angel vessel transiting the Chicago River, 1953
In 1953, the biggest vessel to travel the Mississippi River and Illinois Waterway (at the time) managed to wind its way downtown on the Chicago River. This steel hull behemoth was nearly 634 feet long (193m) and 70 feet wide…
Lunch Atop A Skyscraper: Revealing the Backstory of an Iconic Photograph
The iconic photograph known as “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper” captures a moment frozen in time, taken on September 20, 1932. In this black-and-white image, eleven intrepid ironworkers find themselves seated upon a steel beam, soaring 850 feet (260 meters) above…
Wonderful Color Photos of Hollywood California in the 1950s and ’60s
The 1950s and ’60s were a very drowsy time. It wasn’t just a matter of piling paint on a canvas, as much as just living the life out here in LA. The movies were out here, the beach, the freeways,…
Taste of a Decade: A Glimpse Inside American Restaurants and Cafeterias in the 1940s
During the war (1941-1945) the creation of 17 million new jobs finally pulls the economy out of the Depression. Millions of married women enter the labor force. The demand for restaurant meals escalates, increasing from a pre-war level of 20…
A photographic historical look at the sexy stewardesses of the 1960s-1980s
Pacific Southwest Airlines employee in mini-skirts and go-go boots. The flight attendant occupation took permanent shape in the 1930s as “women’s work,” that is, work not only predominately performed by women but also defined as embodying white, middle-class ideals of…
The Fabulous Bars & Restaurants of the Boeing 747: Amazing Vintage Photos Show the Glamorous Airline Lounges in the Sky From the 1970s
Today domestic first class means free drinks, free (perhaps edible) food, and a seat that might not leave you with a chronic back condition. While deregulation played a large role in driving down quality and prices, this ‘golden age’ of…
26 Alluring Vintage Photos That Capture US Women Making Flags From the Early 1900s
Many of us associate July 4th, Independence Day, with barbecues, picnics and fireworks. But it is also the day when we proudly display the National Flag of the United States. We honor this day by flying Old Glory’s stars and…
American Teen Fashion 50 Years Ago – Interesting B&W Pictures of High Shool Students in the US during 1960s
Their hairstyles and uniform clothes were really interesting! These B&W vintage pictures show American high school students in the 1960s. American Teen Fashion 50 Years Ago American Teen Fashion 50 Years Ago American Teen Fashion 50 Years Ago American Teen…