15 Rarely-Seen Historical Photos That Will Surprise You

In the annals of time, history has been meticulously recorded and passed down through generations, thanks to dedicated historians. Yet, it’s only with the advent of photography that we’ve been able to capture these historical events in a visual format. As the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words.”

If you share a passion for history, there’s a treasure trove waiting for you on the Reddit platform. With over 2.6 million members, this subreddit is a thriving community that regularly unveils captivating historical photographs seldom found in textbooks. Join us as we journey through history with these 30 rarely-seen historical photos that are unlikely to grace the pages of your history books.

#1 In 1979, Tehran Witnessed a Historic March as 100,000 Iranian Women Protested Against the Hijab Law

The Enigmatic “Wildman Suit”

Even today, the unique “Wildman Suit” is on public display at the Menil Collection in Houston, Texas. This extraordinary attire comprises a double-layered ensemble, entirely encased in one-inch-long iron nails, each pointing outward, presenting a menacing and enigmatic appearance.

Though often referred to as Siberian bear-hunting armor from the 1800s, some speculate that it may have been employed in the gruesome spectacle of bear-baiting, which was popular in Shakespearean England. However, the precise purpose of this “Wildman Suit” remains shrouded in mystery, even after centuries have passed.

John Smith, The Man of 137 Summers

John Smith, a Chippewa Indian hailing from Minnesota, made the remarkable claim of having lived to the venerable age of 137 years. Well before his passing in 1922, the Chippewa community affectionately knew him as Ga-Be-Nah-Gewn-Wonce, which translates to “wrinkled meat,” a reference to his deeply furrowed countenance.

Nevertheless, some contend that his facial appearance was not a result of age but rather a consequence of an underlying disease. While the precise truth regarding his age remains the subject of debate, his tombstone in Cass Lake, Minnesota still records his birth year as 1784.

The Peculiar Tale of A.L. Kahn’s Manta Ray

During the summer of 1933, a gentleman by the name of A.L. Kahn found himself out at sea, off the coast of New Jersey, when he successfully landed an enormous manta ray, measuring 20 feet in length and weighing a staggering 5,000 pounds. The process of reeling in this colossal “devil fish” became an arduous ordeal that took several hours and necessitated numerous gunshots from both Kahn and the U.S. Coast Guard.

As reported by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch at the time, it evolved into a tense, three-hour struggle, leaving everyone to wonder whether the fishing party was capturing the fish or if, in fact, the fish was capturing the boat and its four occupants.

#2 In 1941, a Photograph of Soviet Soldier Eugen Stepanovich Kobytev Was Captured on the Day He Departed for War. The Picture on the Right, Taken in 1945, Marks a Remarkable Contrast, Only 4 Years After the War’s Conclusion

#3 Coal Miners Ascending the Elevator Shaft After a Day’s Toil in a Belgian Coal Mine During the 1920s

#4 Captured Around 1917, an Emotional Moment: A Red Cross Nurse Recording the Final Words of a Mortally Wounded Soldier

#5 “Introducing the Courageous “Night Witches”: Russian Female Aviators Who Conducted Nighttime Bombing Raids Against the Nazis in 1941

#6 Sir David Attenborough in his Youth, Late 1950s

#7 Footage from the movie “Blitzmädels an die Front (Women Soldiers to the Front)” representing League of German Girls Inspection

#8 Keshia Thomas Shields an Alleged KKK Supporter from a Mob in Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1996

#9 Annette Kellerman Advocates for Women’s Right to Wear Fitted One-Piece Bathing Suits. Her Arrest for Indecency in 1907

#10 A Native American Mother and Her Child, Circa 1900s

#11 An Undercover Police Officer on Duty in Brooklyn, New York, July 1, 1969

#12 A Boy’s Astonished Reaction to Staring at a TV Screen for the First Time in 1948

#13 Grand Central Terminal in New York City, Captured in 1929 When the Sun Could Shine Through, Unlike Today With the Surrounding Tall Buildings

#14 Arikara Warrior ‘Bear’s Belly’ in North Dakota, USA, Photographed by Edward Curtis in 1909

#15 A Woman Gazing at a Snowy Mountain Pass in the Pyrenees Mountains, France, in 1956