Rare And Captivating Historic Photos They Didn’t Show Us in Class

CR Staff - JA - May 17, 2023

Early 1900s New York City

Speaking of historical city photos, this image captures New York City in the early 1900s. The first thing that strikes you are how out of place the people look when compared to the buildings, but that’s probably just because the buildings are still around while the style has changed quite a bit since then. Most of the people in the photo appear to be dressed in formal attire, but there is a man on the left side of the frame wearing overalls.

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It’s also notable how immense the city looks, even 100 years ago. Life seems just as frenzied and bustling back then as it is today.

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San Francisco in 1964

This photo of San Francisco in 1964 is a bit mind-boggling. This photo truly captures the steep inclines of the city, taking it to a whole other level. In fact, some people have compared it to scenes from the movie Inception, where cityscapes bend and twist in impossible ways. However, this photo is very much the real deal, and it shows a pretty famous street in the city.

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Although you can still ride a trolley down the street today, walking down it is not recommended unless you are accustomed to steep treks. You also probably shouldn’t drive a manual up this street.

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The Twin Towers in 1979

This photograph captures the New York skyline in the 1970s, giving us a glimpse of what the city looked like before the tragic events that led to the fall of the Twin Towers. The towers are domineering and huge compared to the surrounding buildings. There is also quite a bit of smog obscuring the city. This indicates the relatively lenient regulations on pollution during that time period, but the smog does contribute to the eerie atmosphere of the photo.

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Today, the city looks much different, and not just because the towers are no longer there but because everything else is also built up and pretty tall in comparison to the two towers.

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Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire in 1989

It’s worth noting that the two kids seen bowling in this photo are no ordinary children – they happen to be a young Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire. They were both trying to make as child actors in the 1980s in Los Angeles, and it would turn out that they both would. It’s unlikely that anyone could have predicted the immense success that both Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire would achieve decades after this photo was taken.

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Their appearance also hasn’t changed much over the years, despite this photo being taken in the 1980s. It’s actually kind of hard to imagine that the two are that old.

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Brenda Spencer in 1979

This rare photo shows Brenda Spencer being escorted by police. In 1979, she was arrested for shooting at children and adults in the schoolyard across the street from her home. She injured eight kids and killed two adults as they were trying to shield the children. She was later sentenced to life in prison and remained there to this day. Before the 1970s, school shootings were relatively uncommon, unlike today where they unfortunately occur frequently in the US.

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While Spencer was still hiding out in her house after the shooting, a reporter had managed to find her number and ask her why she did it. When asked why she did it, her infamous reply was, “I don’t like Mondays.” The line became the inspiration for a popular song.

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