Family of Nine Living in Field on U.S. Route 70 Near the Tennessee River During the Depression, 1936

A native of Boston, Carl Mydans (1907–2004) was born into a family of second-generation Russian immigrants. He studied journalism at Boston University, where he first learned how to take and develop photographs. After he graduated in 1930, he found work as a reporter for American Banker, but eventually bought a 35-millimeter Contax camera. The ContaxContinue reading “Family of Nine Living in Field on U.S. Route 70 Near the Tennessee River During the Depression, 1936”

60 Vintage Photos of the Anglo-Egyptian Army in Sudan During the Battle of Omdurman on 2 September 1898

The Battle of Omdurman was fought during the Anglo-Egyptian conquest of Sudan between a British–Egyptian expeditionary force commanded by British Commander-in-Chief (sirdar) major general Horatio Herbert Kitchener and a Sudanese army of the Mahdist Islamic State, led by Abdullah al-Taashi, the successor to the self-proclaimed Mahdi, Muhammad Ahmad. The battle took place on 2 SeptemberContinue reading “60 Vintage Photos of the Anglo-Egyptian Army in Sudan During the Battle of Omdurman on 2 September 1898”

The Story of Painless Parker, an Early 20th Century Street Dentist Who Pulled 357 Teeth in One Day

Please help us to continue our work bringing you the best in history on a daily basis. The cost of subscriptions to journals, archives and other media is expensive. We also have the added internet costs. You can help us by subscribing to this page for $5 per month or if you like you canContinue reading “The Story of Painless Parker, an Early 20th Century Street Dentist Who Pulled 357 Teeth in One Day”

Sarah Rosetta Wakeman aka Lyons Wakeman: A Woman’s Life as a Man in the Civil War

In 1940, Jackson Doane, of Binghamton, unearthed a packet of letters, a ring and a picture in his family’s attic from Sarah Rosetta Wakeman, the older sister of Jackson’s great-grandmother. She was a family member that seemed to be little spoken about — and little known. In 1976, Jackson read those letters, discovering that theyContinue reading “Sarah Rosetta Wakeman aka Lyons Wakeman: A Woman’s Life as a Man in the Civil War”

26 Amazing Vintage Photos of First Nations People Before the 1900s

Alex Ross (1851–1894) came to Calgary, Alberta in 1884 and set up a photographic studio at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Osler Street. He had previously worked for a photographer in Winnipeg, but felt the time was right to strike out on his own and establish his own business. He quickly became well-known forContinue reading “26 Amazing Vintage Photos of First Nations People Before the 1900s”

Vintage Historical Photos of the Wild West

The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, includes the geography, history, folklore, and culture in the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial settlements in the early 17th century and ended with the admission of the last few western territories as statesContinue reading “Vintage Historical Photos of the Wild West”

Las Tapadas Limenas: 17 Amazing Photos Of The Hidden Women of Lima Who Veiled Everything But One Eye in the 19th Century

Images of people in typical local costume and vocations were among the standard offerings of any 19th century photographic studio. Many such themes are found in the cartes-de-visite produced in Peru during the 1860s, but by far the most important of these types was the tapada, the veiled one. The costume and manner of theContinue reading “Las Tapadas Limenas: 17 Amazing Photos Of The Hidden Women of Lima Who Veiled Everything But One Eye in the 19th Century”