“Mulberry Street.” These amazing photochrom postcards of New York City were procured by the Detroit Publishing Company and offer a spectacular view of the Big Apple in natural colors. In 1898, the modern City of New York was formed with the consolidation of Brooklyn (until then a separate city), the County of New York (which then included parts of the Bronx), the County of Richmond, and the western portion of the County of Queens....
The Firebird III stands out as the most fascinating and influential model among the Motorama Firebirds. Built in 1958, it is the only one in the Firebird trio to have a direct impact on the design of General Motors production vehicles. The influence is evident in the 1959 Cadillac. The Firebird III’s sculpted surfaces and dramatic rocker panel tuck-under found their way onto the Cadillac’s design, while the 1961 model adopted the Firebird’s distinctive “rear skegs” – a subtle yet impactful homage....
Genevieve Naylor, a photojournalist previously employed by the Associated Press and the WPA, was sent to Brazil in 1940 by Rockefeller’s agency to provide photographs that would support its need for propaganda wartime support from Brazil and adjacent countries. This was the time when the Second World War started to get steam and the State Department’s Office of Inter-American Affairs was tasked with cultivating South American support for the Allies....
Human ingenuity has produced engineering solutions that continue to inspire long after their creators disappeared into history. Long before modern machinery, builders and inventors relied on raw skill, observation, and clever experimentation to shape cities, move water, tame landscapes, and secure structures against time and nature. Each innovation reveals a moment when necessity met creativity, leaving behind achievements that still hold up today. The following photographs offer a visual journey through some of the most fascinating technologies of earlier civilizations and the methods that allowed them to build with surprising precision and durability....
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, adventurers plunged deep into the wilds of South and Central America. What they found amidst the lush jungles were more than just plants and animals; they stumbled upon ancient ruins, hidden beneath the dense foliage. These discoveries opened a window into the rich histories of the peoples who once thrived in these lands. Back in the 19th century, whispers began to circulate about the existence of ancient cities lying hidden within the jungles of Mesoamerica and South America....
A photographic portrait of a couple serves as a public affirmation of their love and partnership. It conveys a clear message to the world: “We love each other. We care deeply for one another. We take pride in who we are together.” In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a time often associated with repression, many gay and lesbian couples boldly celebrated their love through studio portraits. Despite the prevailing notion that same-sex relationships were shrouded in secrecy, as famously described by Oscar Wilde in his poem “Two Loves” as “the love that dare not speak its name,” gay and lesbian couples often chose to express their affection openly....
Living Portrait of Woodrow Wilson, 1918, Camp Sherman Ohio, 21,000 officers and men. Tens of thousands of soldiers, reservists, and other members of the military were arranged to form massive compositions. Although if viewed from the ground or from directly above, these masses of men would appear meaningless, when seen from the top of an 80-foot viewing tower, they clearly appeared to be various patriotic shapes. Almost a century ago and without the aid of any pixel-generating computer software, the itinerant photographer Arthur Mole and his colleague John D....
Celebrating Chinese New Year on Bayard St., in New York City’s Chinatown, in 1984. From 1981 to 1984, the photographer Bud Glick worked for the New York Chinatown History Project (NYCHP) — today the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) — capturing the lives of the neighborhood’s denizens. From intimate portraits of people in their apartments to documentary-style pictures of the activities that filled the streets, his photographs record an older generation’s experiences of Chinatown, just as it was undergoing a transformation from an influx of immigrants and young families seeking fresh futures....
Bomb damage to a London street, Dec. 16, 1943. This collection of rare photographs of London, spanning from the dark days of the Blitz to the triumphant celebrations of VE Day, were taken in Dufaycolor, a little-known photography process. They give another perspective on the period between 1943 and 1945 when Nazi Germany carried out a sustained aerial bombing campaign against Britain. Introduced as cinematic film in 1932 and roll film in 1935, Dufaycolor is an early French and British additive color photographic film process for motion pictures and stills photography....
In the 1980s, Demi Moore was a fresh talent in a decade brimming with big dreams and fearless style. These photos pull us back to that vibrant era, capturing a young Demi on the edge of fame, surrounded by a world of big hair, bold choices, and raw ambition. Long before she became a household name, Moore’s easy charm and natural magnetism lit up every frame, embodying the daring spirit and originality that defined the 1980s....
Toroidal Colony. Cutaway view, exposing the interior. Art work: Rick Guidice. In the summer of 1975, at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California, a team of NASA and Stanford University researchers led by physicist Dr. Gerard O’Neill imagined what the future space colonies would look like. The goal was to build a 10,000-person orbiting community with materials and technologies available to people in the 1970s. The whole project was designed to be cost-effective....
Amidst the challenges and adversities brought by World War II, the realm of fashion in the 1940s remained an influential force, reigning supreme as women worldwide embraced a remarkable blend of utilitarian practicality and captivating elegance. Even during this tumultuous era, Hollywood’s Golden Age stars, including the enchanting Rita Hayworth and Katharine Hepburn, continued to captivate audiences with their impeccable style, gracing the silver screen in a dazzling array of exquisite gowns....
In the seventies and eighties, Venice Beach was considered a place of peace, love and roller skates. Venice, originally called “Venice of America”, was founded by wealthy developer Abbot Kinney in 1905 as a beach resort town, 14 miles (23 km) west of Los Angeles. Los Angeles had neglected Venice so long that, by the 1950s, it had become the “Slum by the Sea”. With the exception of new police and fire stations in 1930, the city spent little on improvements after annexation....
Soldiers hoist a field gun up a cliff face. 1917. In May 1915, Italy attacked Austria-Hungary along the Isonzo River and in the Trentino, hoping to conquer territory which it believed to be rightfully Italian. Unlike the larger-scale battles, this battle was dictated by the landscape of the sizable mountain range. Because of the challenging terrain, both countries had to rely on innovative methods of warfare and outstanding acts of bravery....
During World War II, the U.S. military needed to train hundreds of thousands of civilians and various training methods were born aiming to prepare the troops for the battlefields as quickly and efficiently as possible. Posters, comics, training films, and even cartoons were used to help train the new soldiers. One of the most interesting and effective hands-on training educational tools was the use of gigantic fake weapons as a way to help the soldier better understand the parts and the mechanics of a weapon....
Long before streaming services made movies available with the click of a button, a Friday night ritual played out in neighborhoods across America: a trip to the local video store. It wasn’t just about watching a movie; it was about the experience. Wandering through aisles lined with colorful VHS (and later DVD) covers, debating which film to take home, and chatting with staff or fellow customers became a cultural touchstone for millions....
The Kiss of Life, 1967. (Photo by Rocco Morabito). Taken in 1967 by Rocco Morabito, this photo called “The Kiss of Life” shows a utility worker named J.D. Thompson giving mouth-to-mouth to co-worker Randall G. Champion after he went unconscious following contact with a low voltage line. They had been performing routine maintenance when Champion brushed one of the low voltage lines at the very top of the utility pole....
Communists in London celebrating May Day. 1928. In 1920, a group of revolutionary socialists attended a meeting at the Cannon Street Hotel in London. The men and women were members of various political groups including the British Socialist Party (BSP), the Socialist Labour Party (SLP), Prohibition and Reform Party (PRP) and the Workers’ Socialist Federation (WSF). It was agreed to form the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB). It later emerged that Lenin had provided at least £55,000 (over £1 million in today’s money) to help fund the CPGB....
17 of the 29 attendees were or became Nobel Prize winners. The Solvay Conference, founded by the Belgian industrialist Ernest Solvay in 1912, was considered a turning point in the world of physics. Located in Brussels, the conferences were devoted to outstanding preeminent open problems in both physics and chemistry. The most famous conference was the October 1927 Fifth Solvay International Conference on Electrons and Photons , where the world’s most notable physicists met to discuss the newly formulated quantum theory....
One of the most captivating ways to delve into Toronto’s bygone days is through this remarkable collection of photographs that chronicle the everyday life of the city in the 1960s. These images, taken by gcosserat on Flickr, offer a unique glimpse into a bygone era, showcasing the people, places, and moments that defined the city during this transformative decade. As the 1960s began, Toronto’s skyline comprised a collection of buildings tinted with sepia tones, featuring banks, hotels, and church steeples....
