Pictures hold something truly special—a speck of time that once was and shall never be again. They’re the closest thing we have to a time machine, allowing us to glimpse through a window of film and into the past. 

Although technology has come leaps and bounds since the very first photograph, and we’ve gotten used to its magic, it still feels like a pirate treasure to come across old pictures from a time not-too-long-ago. From close families, to celebrities, there’s something for everyone, and the Facebook group called “Historical Pictures” is just the hub of it all. 

Today, we’ll be featuring some of the photos the members of the group have shared, and hope that it’ll tickle your fancy to go dig out your own photo albums. So, dear readers, I invite you to look at this photograph (brownie points if you read that in Nickelback), well a couple dozen of them, upvote your faves, leave some comments, and have a good time!

If you’re craving another Bored Panda article that’s similar to this, I got you covered: here’s one and here’s another. Now let’s get into it! 

More info: Facebook

#1

My Sweet Sixteen Self. I Will Be Eighty In February 2023

My Sweet Sixteen Self. I Will Be Eighty In February 2023

Mary Ann Wall Report

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    #2

    An Officer Halts Traffic To Make Way For A Cat Carrying A Kitten Across The Street, 1925

    An Officer Halts Traffic To Make Way For A Cat Carrying A Kitten Across The Street, 1925

    Old Photos Report

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    #4

    Camberley Kate, And Her Stray Dogs In England. She Never Turned A Stray Dog Away, Taking Care Of More Than 600 Dogs In Her Lifetime. (1962)

    Camberley Kate, And Her Stray Dogs In England. She Never Turned A Stray Dog Away, Taking Care Of More Than 600 Dogs In Her Lifetime. (1962)

    Bushra Mushtaq Report

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    #6

    First Nations Husband And Wife, (A. Ross, 1886)

    First Nations Husband And Wife, (A. Ross, 1886)

    Native American Culture Regions Report

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    #7

    This Innuit Girl Descending Into Her Home, An Ice Igloo

    This Innuit Girl Descending Into Her Home, An Ice Igloo

    This powerful image transcends time, and continues to go viral over 70 years later. Helen Konek is 91 years old now. But she was 17 when photographer Richard Harrington asked to take images of her family near Arviat, Nunavut. This one is in the massive igloo her father Pipqanaaq built.

    Explore Native American Culture Report

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    #8

    A Photo Of My Grandfather, Clyde Hensley, Lived Deep In The Appalachian Mountains Of Western North Carolina

    A Photo Of My Grandfather, Clyde Hensley, Lived Deep In The Appalachian Mountains Of Western North Carolina

    Lived off the land, kept bees, grew tobacco, dried it, twisted it, made molasses. You name it. I always knew him as happy and content. For no special reason. True Grit. 1912-2002

    Benji Barnes Report

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    #9

    Cheryl Browne, First African-American Contestant For The Title Of Miss America In 1971

    Cheryl Browne, First African-American Contestant For The Title Of Miss America In 1971

    Cheryl Adrienne Browne was born in New York City in 1950 and studied dance at LaGuardia High School in Manhattan. After high school, she moved to Decorah, Iowa to study dance at Luther College. After winning the Miss Decorah contest, on June 13, 1970, she beat 19 white contestants to win Miss Iowa, making her eligible to compete for the 1971 Miss America crown. Cheryl became the first black woman to compete for the Miss America title, the first African American contestant to make it to the final, even though competition rule number seven, instituted during the 1930s, which read: “Contestants must be of good health and of the white race,” had been abolished 30 years before in 1940.

    Historical Photos of Women's Stories Report

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    #10

    Dolly Parton In The Late 60's

    Dolly Parton In The Late 60's

    Keep It Cult Report

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    #11

    Lucille Ball. A Timeless Beauty

    Lucille Ball. A Timeless Beauty

    Brent Peltier Report

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    #12

    Three Young Ladies Posing With A Friend, 1930

    Three Young Ladies Posing With A Friend, 1930

    Old Photos Report

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    #13

    Soldier Coming Home To His Daughter After WWII, 1945

    Soldier Coming Home To His Daughter After WWII, 1945

    Old Photos Report

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    #14

    A Young Woman Posing For A Studio Portrait, Kentucky, 1890-1910

    A Young Woman Posing For A Studio Portrait, Kentucky, 1890-1910

    Old Photos Report

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    #15

    Two Gentleman From The Early 1900s

    Two Gentleman From The Early 1900s

    Old Photos Report

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    #16

    Sophia Loren, Circa 1955

    Sophia Loren, Circa 1955

    Old Photos Report

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    #17

    This Is Jim Thorpe. Look Closely At The Photo, You Can See That He's Wearing Different Socks And Shoes

    This Is Jim Thorpe. Look Closely At The Photo, You Can See That He's Wearing Different Socks And Shoes

    This wasn't a fashion statement. It was the 1912 Olympics, and Jim, a Native American from Oklahoma represented the U.S. in track and field. On the morning of his competitions, his shoes were stolen. Luckily, Jim ended up finding two shoes in a garbage can. That's the pair that he's wearing in the photo. But one of the shoes was too big, so he had to wear an extra sock. Wearing these shoes, Jim won two gold medals that day

    David Kahiu Report

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    #18

    “Les Nouvelles Meirveilleuses”. In The Spring Of 1908, Three Women Walked Onto The Longchamp Racecourse In Paris And Jaws Dropped

    “Les Nouvelles Meirveilleuses”. In The Spring Of 1908, Three Women Walked Onto The Longchamp Racecourse In Paris And Jaws Dropped

    he elite society event was known for debuting the latest couture creations to the public, but no one had seen fashion quite like this before. Dressed in blue, white and havane brown creations, according to newspapers, spectators called the three women a “monstrosity”, accused them of being semi-naked and showing revolting *décolletage. *It was these three dresses however, which would forever change fashion that day and launch the twentieth century silhouette. As for the designer? Well, no one really bothered to remember her name… But perhaps you might like to know who it was. Jeanne Margaine-Lacroix was her name, a young Parisian designer who had taken over her mother’s long-established couture house and was starting to gain popularity in turn-of-the-century Paris for her lightly corseted dresses featuring minimum boning and more elastic material… Long before Lycra or Spanx came along, she soon began making dresses made from stretchy elastic silk jersey, outlining the hips and thighs and slimming the figure. To debut her creations to society, she hired three beautiful models and chose the Parisian racetracks of 1908 as her catwalk.

    Mark Loader Report

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    #19

    My Great-Great Aunt Helen Taken In 1913 When She Was 16 Years Old. She Passed Away At 90 Years Old In 1987

    My Great-Great Aunt Helen Taken In 1913 When She Was 16 Years Old. She Passed Away At 90 Years Old In 1987

    Heather Helen Leiterman-Su Report

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    #20

    The Champion Watermelon Eater At The 4th Of July Celebration In Brooklyn, 1935

    The Champion Watermelon Eater At The 4th Of July Celebration In Brooklyn, 1935

    Ben Levin Report

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    #21

    “Girls In The Windows”

    “Girls In The Windows”

    In 1960, photojournalist Ormond Gigli assembled 43 women, dressed them in refined, colorful garb, and situated them in 41 windows across the facade of the classic New York City brownstones. Years later, the image ended up being his most famous artwork.

    Héla Chargui Report

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    #22

    Portrait Of A Young Grumpy Girl From The 1850s

    Portrait Of A Young Grumpy Girl From The 1850s

    Historic Photographs Report

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    #23

    A Roman Toddler's Footprint In A Red Clay Tile, Imprinted As It Was Drying ~2000 Years Ago

    A Roman Toddler's Footprint In A Red Clay Tile, Imprinted As It Was Drying ~2000 Years Ago

    Museum of Artifacts Report

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    #24

    The Baby In This Picture Is My Grandmother Born In 1893. Along With My Great Grandmother, Great Great Grandmother And Great Great Great Grandmother

    The Baby In This Picture Is My Grandmother Born In 1893. Along With My Great Grandmother, Great Great Grandmother And Great Great Great Grandmother

    Lori Linley Liebetrau Report

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    #25

    Richard Lasher Was On His Way To Ride His Dirt Bike When Mt. St. Helens Erupted In Front Of Him (1980)

    Richard Lasher Was On His Way To Ride His Dirt Bike When Mt. St. Helens Erupted In Front Of Him (1980)

    David Anii Okafor Report

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    #26

    This Is Economy Class Seating On Pan Am 747 In The ‘60’s

    This Is Economy Class Seating On Pan Am 747 In The ‘60’s

    Brent Peltier Report

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    #27

    A Ghostly Yet Mesmerizing Image From 1900

    A Ghostly Yet Mesmerizing Image From 1900

    Old Photos Report

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    #28

    Ron Howard's Wedding To His (Still) Wife Cheryl In 1975--With Henry Winkler

    Ron Howard's Wedding To His (Still) Wife Cheryl In 1975--With Henry Winkler

    Charles Tranberg, Author Report

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    #29

    Silent Film Actress, Delores Costello, Drew Barrymore's Grandmother, 1928

    Silent Film Actress, Delores Costello, Drew Barrymore's Grandmother, 1928

    Brent Peltier Report

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    #30

    Mother And Daughter Photographs From 1900

    Mother And Daughter Photographs From 1900

    Old Photos Report

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    #31

    Irish Seaman And Antarctic Explorer Thomas Crean Photographed In 1915 Aboard The Endurance In Antarctica During The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition Of 1914–1917 LED By Ernest Shackleton

    Irish Seaman And Antarctic Explorer Thomas Crean Photographed In 1915 Aboard The Endurance In Antarctica During The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition Of 1914–1917 LED By Ernest Shackleton

    The Endurance was trapped in ice for 492 days and sank, so the 28-man crew had to use lifeboats to reach the uninhabited Elephant Island. Crean was one of 6 members of the crew to make the 800 miles (1300 km) journey from Elephant Island to South Georgia in the small-boat James Caird to seek rescue for the rest of the crew. Once they reached South Georgia after 17 days at sea, 3 of the men, including Tom Crean, trekked across the island to a whaling station on the north side of South Georgia. There they were able to organize rescue efforts for the 3 men left on the south of the island and the remaining crew on Elephant Island. The entire crew of the Endurance returned home without loss of life.

    David Anii Okafor Report

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    #33

    Titanic Survivors Marjorie And Charlotte Collyer In New York Immediately Following The Sinking Of The Liner In 1912

    Titanic Survivors Marjorie And Charlotte Collyer In New York Immediately Following The Sinking Of The Liner In 1912

    David Anii Okafor Report

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    #34

    Bride Leaving Her Recently Bombed Home To Get Married, London, Nov 4, 1940

    Bride Leaving Her Recently Bombed Home To Get Married, London, Nov 4, 1940

    Amila Prasanna Report

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    #35

    Marilyn Monroe Circa 1954

    Marilyn Monroe Circa 1954

    Ricardo Carvalho Report

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    #36

    Nora Washington With A Catfish She Caught With A Cane Pole, No Less In The Colorado River, Bastrop, Texas 1950s

    Nora Washington With A Catfish She Caught With A Cane Pole, No Less In The Colorado River, Bastrop, Texas 1950s

    Brent Peltier Report

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    #37

    My Grandmother From 1947

    My Grandmother From 1947

    Charlie Carlson IV Report

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    #38

    Portrait Of Lillian, Cora And Luvenia Ward. Taken In Worcester, Massachusetts, Circa 1900

    Portrait Of Lillian, Cora And Luvenia Ward. Taken In Worcester, Massachusetts, Circa 1900

    Show off Africa Report

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    #39

    Women Grocery Shopping In The 1960s

    Women Grocery Shopping In The 1960s

    Historic Photographs Report

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    #40

    Fun Before The Internet, 1960s

    Fun Before The Internet, 1960s

    Ben Levin Report

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    #41

    This Boy And His Dog Were Photographed By Photographer J. E. Williams In New Athens, Ohio In The Late 1890s-Early 1900s

    This Boy And His Dog Were Photographed By Photographer J. E. Williams In New Athens, Ohio In The Late 1890s-Early 1900s

    This was another one that was cracked but the damage wan’t in critical areas and I was able to clone some image from the photo taken at the same time. From my glass negative collection

    Memory Lane Photos Report

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    #42

    Cicely Tyson And James Earl Jones

    Cicely Tyson And James Earl Jones

    African American History Report

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    #43

    Charging An Electric Car In The Garage, New York, 1911

    Charging An Electric Car In The Garage, New York, 1911

    Old Photos Report

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    #44

    Benton County, Tennessee, 1930's

    Benton County, Tennessee, 1930's

    Caption Carl Mydans was a photographer that worked some for the federal government during the Great Depression. He took several heart breaking pictures of rural families, especially in the South. This family was photographed near Benton County, Tennessee. He titled this one "Rural Mother

    Travis Chumley Report

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    #45

    Bedouin Couple In Front Of Their Tent, Adwan Tribe. 1898. (Colorized By Frédéric Duriez)

    Bedouin Couple In Front Of Their Tent, Adwan Tribe. 1898. (Colorized By Frédéric Duriez)

    Historic Photographs Report

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    #46

    My Grandparents, Poland 1952

    My Grandparents, Poland 1952

    David Balage Report

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    #47

    Taken In 1972 Us Southwest Airlines Flight Attendant

    Taken In 1972 Us Southwest Airlines Flight Attendant

    Naomi Harris Report

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    #48

    Christmas Dinner, 1936. Dinner Consisted Of Potatoes, Cabbage And Pie

    Christmas Dinner, 1936. Dinner Consisted Of Potatoes, Cabbage And Pie

    Old Photos Report

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    #49

    Elvis, His Father Vernon, And His Grandmother Minnie Mae, 1959

    Elvis, His Father Vernon, And His Grandmother Minnie Mae, 1959

    Historic Photographs Report

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