34 Fascinating Photos That Show What Life Was Really Like in the 1900s

Written by Rachel Schneider on
A vintage photo collage: on the left, seven women pose in striped sweaters; on the right, a man in old-fashioned clothes and a hat stands with hands on hips in front of a wooden building.

Before the chaos of the modern world kicked into high gear, the 1900s chugged along — on dirt roads, in horse-drawn carriages, with women in long skirts and men tipping their hats.  These photos depict America before it was riddled with the sounds and technologies of the future.

1. Graduation Photo of a Woman Who Got Her Physics Degree (1900)

A black-and-white vintage portrait of a young woman with light hair in an updo, wearing a high-necked dress with large puffed sleeves and lace detailing, looking to the left.
Last_Of_His_Name / Reddit.com

2. The Bustle of Broadway (1900)

A bustling city street in early 20th-century New York, crowded with people in period clothing, horse-drawn carts, and tall historic buildings lining both sides of the road.
MrFlow / Reddit.com

3. Family Portrait (1900)

A vintage black-and-white portrait of five people. Three young men in suits stand behind an older man and a woman seated in front. The group poses formally, dressed in late 19th- or early 20th-century attire.
oldsoul8789 / Reddit.com

4. Dapper as Can Be (1901)

A sepia-toned portrait of a man with neatly styled dark hair and a thick, curled mustache, wearing a suit, waistcoat, and tie, looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression.
jacobo / Reddit.com

5. Victorian Woman (1901)

A Black woman in Victorian-era clothing poses with a riding crop. She wears a fitted jacket, long skirt, white blouse, and a tall top hat, standing confidently in front of a neutral studio backdrop with a fur throw.
KevlarSweetheart / Reddit.com

6. ‘Happiest Man in China’ (1901)

A man in traditional Chinese clothing smiles widely while holding a bowl of rice and eating with chopsticks. He sits beside a carved round table, facing the camera against a plain backdrop.
StarLord1228 / Reddit.com

7. Teddy Roosevelt (1902) 

A man in a suit stands on a balcony, raising his right hand while addressing a large crowd below. He holds papers in his left hand, and a table with a pitcher sits beside him. The scene appears historical.
Ciaran123C / Reddit.com

8. High School Girls Basketball Team (1902)

A vintage black-and-white photo of eight women wearing matching striped sweaters, some standing and others sitting, all posing with arms crossed and serious expressions in front of a painted studio backdrop.
Allyeknowonearth / Reddit.com

10. Knife Grinders in France Who Worked Lying Down To Save Their Backs and Had Dogs Sit on Their Legs for Warmth (1902)

A black-and-white photo shows several people lying face down on tables in a row, next to large windows in a dimly lit room; a dog lies among them, also on a table.
Benzona / Reddit.com

11. Woman Modeling a Gown (1902)

A woman in a long, dark Victorian-era dress with patterned trim stands beside a small round wooden table, posing for a formal black-and-white studio portrait.
UserDeleted / Reddit.com

12. Inuit Woman in Alaska (1903)

Black and white portrait of an Indigenous woman with long, wavy hair, wearing a beaded headband and a fur or woven shawl, looking slightly to the side against a neutral background.
sayknow / Reddit.com

13. The World’s Record Black Sea Bass (1903)

A man in early 20th-century attire stands beside a gigantic black sea bass, hanging vertically on display. The fish is nearly as tall as the man. Several onlookers and a sign are in the background.
Dr_Stephen_Colbert / Reddit.com

14. The Wright Brothers on Their First Flight (1903)

A black-and-white photo of the Wright brothers’ plane taking off from a flat, sandy field, with one person standing nearby watching the early biplane lift into the air for its historic flight.
MulciberTenebras / Reddit.com

15. Dinner Party at The Hotel Astor in New York City (1904)

A sepia-toned photograph shows a large, formal banquet with men in tuxedos seated around a long, lavishly decorated table in an ornate, elegant room. The guests are raising glasses and looking toward the camera.
bsmith2123 / Reddit.com

16. A Woman Dressed Up as Batgirl, 57 Years Before the Comic Character Existed (1904)

A person in a vintage costume stands with hands on hips, wearing a bat emblem on their shirt, a cape, and tall headpiece. The photo is black and white and old-fashioned. A small table is in the foreground.
weeb55487 / Reddit.com

17. Family in Cotton Valley, Louisiana (1904)

A Black family from the early 1900s poses in front of a wooden house. A man in a suit and hat sits beside a woman in a headwrap holding a baby, while a young girl in a dress stands beside them.
Spectreworld / Reddit.com

18. Fully Clothed Folks and Horse-Drawn Carriages on Daytona Beach (1904)

People in Victorian-era clothing walk and ride in horse-drawn carriages along a wide, sandy beach near the shoreline, with the sea and blue sky in the background.
squarepusher6 / Reddit.com

19. Claude Monet in His Garden (1904)

An older man with a long white beard, wearing a hat, suit, and suspenders, stands on a garden path beside a pond with water lilies and lush green plants.
UserDeleted / Reddit.com

20. A Maori Woman with Traditional Moko Tattoos in New Zealand (1905)

A historical black-and-white portrait of a Māori woman wearing a dark, buttoned dress with fur trim, traditional jewelry, and a moko kauae (chin tattoo). Her hair is styled elaborately and she looks directly at the camera.
Justsoinsane / Reddit.com

21. Bride in Norway (1905)

A young woman in profile wears ornate traditional clothing and a large, intricate headdress decorated with patterns, beads, and floral elements. The image is in black and white, highlighting the details of her attire.
intrepidsassafraskg / Reddit.com

22. Reading in the Dorm Room at Harvard

A sepia-toned vintage photo of a man relaxing on a bed in a cluttered, ornate room, decorated with framed pictures, shelves, books, and patterned textiles. The scene appears to be from the early 1900s.
Lereas / Reddit.com

23. Red Hawk From the Oglala Tribe in the Great Plains (1905)

A sepia-toned photo of a person in traditional Native American regalia, including a feathered headdress, sitting on a white horse drinking from a pond in a grassy landscape.
WhileFalseRepeat / Reddit.com

24. Pierre Curie, Marie Curie, and Their Daughter Irene Joliot-Curie (1906)

A black-and-white photo of a man and woman sitting on either side of a young girl. The adults wear formal clothing; the girl wears a light dress. All three look serious. Ivy-covered wall in the background.
dustofoblivion123 / Reddit.com

25. Crew of Men Unloading a Banana Boat in New York (1906)

A busy, historic harbor scene with many people, horses, and carts unloading goods. Steamships are docked, and a city skyline with tall buildings is visible in the background under an overcast sky.
Iangator / Reddit.com

26. Woman Riding an Ostrich (1907)

A woman in early 20th-century clothing and a hat sits riding an ostrich on a street, with trees and a fence visible in the background.
prometeo123321 / Reddit.com

27. Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung Relaxing After Being in the Sauna (1907)

Four men relax on the steps and porch of a wooden cabin, some wearing towels or minimal clothing. One man sits on the steps, another stands with arms crossed, and two sit on the porch, one with a basin nearby.
CE_BEP / Reddit.com

28. Maud Wagner, America’s First Known Female Tattoo Artist (1907)

A vintage black-and-white portrait of a woman with styled hair, a flower in her hair, and a pearl necklace, showing her upper body covered in intricate tattoos with various designs. She sits with her arms crossed on a table.
Jonesce / Reddit.com

29. The Cobblestone Streets of Philadelphia (1907)

A bustling city street scene from the early 1900s shows people in period clothing gathered outside Keith's New Theatre, with ornate architecture, vintage cars, a streetcar, and horse-drawn vehicles in view.
UserDeleted / Reddit.com

30. Harry Houdini About to Plunge 30 Feet off the Harvard Bridge into the Charles River in Boston (1908)

A man in a vintage, tight-fitting swimsuit stands barefoot on a dock with his hands bound, preparing to jump into the water. He is watched closely by a crowd of people dressed in early 20th-century clothing.
Tiger217 / Reddit.com

31. 11-Year-Old Coal Miner (1908)

A young coal miner stands with hands on hips, wearing dirty work clothes, suspenders, and a headlamp, his face and hands covered in coal dust, in an industrial outdoor setting.
HoggyOfAustralia / Reddit.com

32. Mark Twain With His Colt 1903 Pistol (1908)

An older man in a white suit stands outdoors on grass, holding and pointing a pistol with one hand while the other hand rests on his hip; trees and monuments are visible in the background.
ultrafidelio / Reddit.com

33. Man Showing Off the Homestead He Built in South Dakota (1909)

A man wearing a hat and suspenders stands with hands on hips in front of a small, weathered wooden house in a rural landscape. The house has a window with a curtain and a screen door.
sterexx / Reddit.com

34. Coca-Cola Delivery Truck (1909)

Black-and-white photo of two men sitting on a vintage Coca-Cola delivery truck loaded with glass bottles. The truck has large wooden wheels and “Coca-Cola” signs on the sides. A house and trees are in the background.
Imgur

Curious about more content from this era? 

Check out 33 Vintage Photos From the 1890s, along with These 30 Vintage Photos Reveal a Forgotten World From the 1880s and 33 Vintage Photos That Show What the Roaring Twenties Was Truly Like.