Step Back Into the 1910s With These 30 Incredible Vintage Photos

Written by Rachel Schneider on June 30, 2025

Split image: On the left, two women hold a "Votes for Women" sign. On the right, a woman in a suit stands by a table labeled "Professor Meharc," set with candles and objects, suggesting a magic or science demonstration.

The 1910s were a turning point in American life. Industry was booming, cities were growing fast, and new technologies were reshaping daily routines. At the same time, the country was grappling with social change, a shifting workforce, and the looming shadow of World War I. These pictures depict everything from the midst and end of the war to folks just trying to make a living.

1. Cowboy Taking a Rest in Bonham, Texas (1910)

A cowboy wearing a wide-brimmed hat sits on the grass beside his saddled horse, overlooking a vast pasture where numerous horses graze under a clear blue sky. — therealweriuuolf / Reddit.com

2. American Soldiers Paying Tribute to More Than 8 Million Horses, Mules, and Donkeys Who Died During World War I (1918)

A large group of people in uniform stand arranged in the shape of a human eye, viewed from above. The formation includes details like the pupil, iris, and eyelid. The photo is in black and white. — StuffyUnicorn / Reddit.com

3. Harriet Tubman at 89 Years Old (1911)

An elderly woman sits outdoors in a wooden chair, wrapped in a white shawl and blanket. She has gray hair and a serious expression, with green grass and trees in the background. — kingtah / Reddit.com

4. Lumberjacks in Portland (1915)

Two loggers stand on planks wedged into a giant tree trunk, holding a large saw. A deep, horizontal cut is made in the tree, and axes and tools are visible on and around the trunk in a forest setting. — homocomp / Reddit.com

5. Fountain Frozen Solid in Detroit (1917)

A towering, layered ice structure stands in a snowy city park with people nearby. Leafless trees, buildings, and vintage street lamps surround the scene on a cloudy winter day. — onepersononeidea / Reddit.com

6. Olympic Shooting (1912)

Two men, one in a military uniform and one in a suit and cap, stand side by side aiming pistols at a shooting range, with other men observing in the background. — UserDeleted / Reddit.com

7. Gettysburg: Standing at the Bloody Angle Where 3,000 Soldiers Died (1913)

A group of elderly men in suits and hats, standing in two lines, shake hands outdoors under a tree with green grass and fields in the background. The scene appears to be a historical or commemorative gathering. — martlet1 / Reddit.com

8. Native Americans of the Blackfoot Tribe at Glacier National Park (1913)

Three Indigenous men in traditional clothing stand and sit on a rocky outcrop overlooking a scenic valley with mountains and a lake in the background. They hold spears and gaze into the distance. The image is in black and white. — eli5708 / Reddit.com

9. Six-Year-Old Boy After He Won a Pie-Eating Contest (1916)

A young boy wearing a “Cranberry Pie Eating Contest” crown sits at a table with a stack of empty pie tins, his face and shirt covered in pie, looking full and satisfied. — UserDeleted / Reddit.com

10. Agatha Christie in Her WW1 Nurse Uniform (1914)

A woman in a historical nurse’s uniform stands on a porch, wearing a long white apron with a red cross, a white cap, and a serious expression. Plants and ivy climb around the entrance behind her. — eaglemaxie / Reddit.com

11. A Soldier from the Harlem Hellfighters Returning Home After World War I (1917)

A crowd watches as a woman shakes hands with a uniformed man using crutches, likely a World War I soldier, on a city street in winter. People are dressed warmly and buildings line the background. — TheAfternoonStandard / Reddit.com

12. Human Statue of Liberty Made With 18,000 Men (1918)

A large group of people forms the shape of the Statue of Liberty, including its torch and pedestal, on a flat open field with buildings and trees visible in the distant background. — Endless_Vanity / Reddit.com

13. Pyramid of Captured German Helmets in New York (1918)

A large crowd gathers in a city square in front of a pyramid made of stacked objects, likely canned goods, with cannons on display and decorated columns and flags lining the street, in a historical sepia-toned scene. — thisisalamin / Reddit.com

14. Harlem Hellfighters Back From WWI (1919)

Nine African American soldiers in World War I uniforms pose together on a ship, wearing brown coats and caps, with medals pinned to their chests. The background includes metal railings and a steel wall. — Strahozor / Reddit.com

15. Jack Johnson, the First Black Heavyweight Champ (1912)

Two black-and-white photos of Jack Johnson: on the left, he sits in a suit, hat, and holding a cane; on the right, he poses shirtless in boxing stance, wearing shorts. Both photos are labeled with his name and location. — 710Honey / Reddit.com

16. Charlie Chaplin Without Makeup (1916)

A young man with curly brown hair, blue eyes, and a faint smile looks directly at the camera. He wears a dark suit jacket over a light shirt with vertical stripes. The background is blurred. — HydrolicKrane / Reddit.com

17. Visiting a Food Truck (1919)

Three women stand beside an old-fashioned food truck selling bread and produce on a city sidewalk. The truck has a canopy and its side is open, displaying goods. Vintage cars are visible in the background. — brolbo / Reddit.com

18. Forging the Chain for the Titanic’s Anchor (1910)

Two men in work clothes and flat caps stand beside oversized metal chain links in a workshop, with a boy kneeling on the left. Large tools and industrial equipment are visible in the background. — Boojibs / Reddit.com

19. Harry Houdini After a Stunt (1914)

Harry Houdini stands in shackles at the edge of a dock, surrounded by men in suits and boater hats, preparing for a stunt by the water in 1911. A crowd watches from the ship above. — Isai76 / Reddit.com

20. Dorm Room at the University of Illinois (1910)

Two young men sit in a vintage room. One reclines on a bed while the other sits in a chair. The wall behind them is crowded with old photographs and portraits. The room is decorated with patterned wallpaper and a wooden chair. — DiosMioMan63 / Reddit.com

21. Man Performing His Magic Act at the Empire Theater in Belfast (1913)

A vintage photo of a magician in formal attire performing a trick with a top hat and eggs. Beside him is a table draped with a cloth reading "PROFESSOR MEHARC," with candles and props placed on top. — Quail_eater / Reddit.com

22. Tennis Tournament Winner (1912)

A young girl in a white dress with a large bow in her hair stands holding a tennis racket, smiling beside a trophy on a pedestal, in front of a vintage studio backdrop with leafy plants. — Miss_Bizel / Reddit.com

23. Buddies (1910)

Two men in early 20th-century clothing pose together for a portrait. One wears a suit and tie, the other a fur-collared coat and hat. They look at each other, one sitting and the other standing beside him. The photo is aged and worn. — TrebleRose689 / Reddit.com

24. Ice Delivery Girls (1918)

Two people in overalls and caps are carrying a large block of ice with metal tongs in front of a horse-drawn cart. Several other ice blocks are on the ground nearby. The photo is colorized and appears historical. — UserDeleted / Reddit.com

25. Chester McDuffee and His Aluminum Alloy Diving Suit That Weighed 485 lbs (1911)

A man in overalls stands beside a large, vintage deep-sea diving suit with bulky, mechanical arms and legs inside a wooden building. Sunlight streams in from the left, highlighting the suit's metallic details. — RogerDat143 / Reddit.com

26. William Harley and Arthur Davidson (1914)

Two men in early 20th-century attire sit on vintage Harley-Davidson motorcycles in a studio setting, looking at the camera. Both wear white shirts, dark pants, and flat caps. — merciJean1127 / Reddit.com

27. When the Bells Rang on the Western Front (1918)

A smiling soldier with a bandaged head holds up a helmet with a hole in it. He wears a military uniform and a large backpack, standing outdoors on a battlefield. — SomeHighDragonfly / Reddit.com

28. Nikola Tesla in His New York Office (1916)

A man in a suit stands in a laboratory, examining two objects, with scientific equipment on the table and large technical drawings of machinery hanging on the wall behind him. — scaryhour / Reddit.com

29. Suffragettes (1911)

Two women stand outdoors holding a large banner that reads "VOTES FOR WOMEN," advocating for women's suffrage. Both women look directly at the camera with serious expressions. — Reporter_at_large / Reddit.com

30. A Member of the Harlem Hellfighters With a Puppy Saved During the War (1918)

A Black World War I soldier in uniform sits on the grass holding a small puppy in his lap, with another soldier in uniform sitting behind him. — WhileFalseRepeat / Reddit.com

Interested in more stories from the early 20th century?

For a peek into the 1900s, check out 34 Fascinating Photos That Show What Life Was Really Like in the 1900s and 17 Mugshots From the 1900s That Tell a Story in Every Face. You might also like Life at the Turn of the Century: 33 Vintage Photos From the 1890s.