14 Historical Photos Showing Things You Might Not Expect to See

We like to think we know everything about the past, as if every single moment has already been documented. That is far from the truth, since people are constantly sharing over the internet the incredible photos they have of ages gone by, either of their families or vintage pictures they found out in the wild.

What we’ve gathered today are images of moments not so common from history, with people being weird, noteworthy, or downright amazing. Come with us as we explore a less seen side of history, one filled with oddities that makes us think again about what we think we know of that time.

Odd Wig, 1870

This is really not the look one would expect to see from the late 1800s, but who are we to say what was the fashion of the time?

Knife Time, 1937

Due to the time and preciousness of photos, doing a silly pose (not to mention one with political undertones) was not something widely seen. But it evidently did happen from time to time.

Parade, 1941

Now that must’ve been a strange sight back in the day, mostly because seeing a giant tadpole in the sky would still be strange today!

Long Gown, 1880

This is, without a doubt, an infant wearing a Christening gown. But for those not in the know, it certainly looks like a long-legged baby.

Gathering, 1905

The sheer amount of personality simply oozing from this picture can’t be understated. Each face is telling its own personal story.

Sneaky Cavalryman, 1914

This good man has a story behind him; as a cavalryman, he didn’t want to be deployed to World War 1 and fled to Ireland. Seems he was indeed drafted for the second World War.

Disneyland, 1967

The world-renowned theme park was a different kind of beast in the 60s, and not everyone was having a good time. Or they had, but a different kind of fun than what kids have there today.

Gun, 1960

What starts as a wholesome photo becomes a fight for your life as a child gleefully aims towards you down his sights. Toy revolvers have always been a hit with kids.

Ostrich Farm, 1920

Of all the things you could have a farm of, ostriches are not the first things on our minds. But hey, you can clearly use them for transportation.

Communion, 1944

This is mostly due to the picture being black & white, but the resulting effect is certainly haunting. The little girls look more like spirits than like human beings.

Tower Formation, 1940

Doing something like this today would still put us at awe, not just the human pyramid, but it being set on top of a human bridge.

Woman Might, 1940

Men aren’t the only ones able to lift weights, and weights made up of humans no less. The other ladies gathered here are rightfully amazed.

Hairstyle, 1919

What we’re seeing here is a traditional Rwandan hairstyle, and one with a lot of personality at that.

Smokey Sky Lift, 1959

A sky lift with little to no harness to secure yourself to it, you certainly needed courage to get on it. And this man had it in spades.