Stunning Photos From The Time When Oil Derricks Loomed All Over California Beaches 1910 1955

When Europeans finally arrived in California, petroleum had already been in use by Native Americans for about 13,000 years, and they relied on its utility albeit not for energy sources. Natives used oil primarily as a lubricant, but they also used it as a sealant to waterproof canoes. The first Californian well was drilled in 1865 in Humboldt County. The state’s first gusher arrived in 1876 in the Pico Canyon oil field located north of Los Angeles and launched a statewide industry....

<span title='2024-10-02 00:00:00 +0000 UTC'>October 2, 2024</span>&nbsp;·&nbsp;4 min&nbsp;·&nbsp;689 words&nbsp;·&nbsp;Tommy Gibson

Stunning Photos Of A Young Barbi Benton In The 1970S And 1980S

Known for her striking beauty and multifaceted career, Benton made a significant impact on the entertainment industry during her prime. Her early years were marked by an inclination towards the arts and an interest in modeling. At just 16 years old, she began her modeling career, which quickly gained traction due to her enchanting looks and charisma. Her journey in the modeling industry paved the way for her entry into the world of entertainment....

<span title='2024-10-02 00:00:00 +0000 UTC'>October 2, 2024</span>&nbsp;·&nbsp;2 min&nbsp;·&nbsp;397 words&nbsp;·&nbsp;Ronnie Espinosa

Teenager Bedrooms In The 1980S Captured In Photos Where Posters Music And Style Ruled

These spaces were a vibrant mix of cartoons, movies, and toys, capturing the essence of the era. The decor often mirrored the excitement of a Saturday morning cartoon lineup, bursting with color and personality. For teenagers in this decade, their bedroom was an extension of their personality, where they could escape the pressures of the outside world and be themselves. What did a typical 1980s bedroom look like? This vintage collection of photos shows the essentials that defined every kid’s room during that time, offering a nostalgic glimpse into the decade’s most iconic bedroom trends....

<span title='2024-10-02 00:00:00 +0000 UTC'>October 2, 2024</span>&nbsp;·&nbsp;3 min&nbsp;·&nbsp;452 words&nbsp;·&nbsp;Jeffrey Mendenhall

The 1950S Cigarette Psychology 9 Ways Of Holding Your Cigarette And Their Meaning

Some grasp them firmly between their thumb and index finger, while others opt for a more relaxed hold between the index and middle finger. But could these seemingly mundane choices actually reveal something about their personalities? You’re onto something there. Allegedly, the way a person holds their cigarette, along with their gestures, like how they walk, sit, or use their hands, can be a revealing window into their inner self....

<span title='2024-10-02 00:00:00 +0000 UTC'>October 2, 2024</span>&nbsp;·&nbsp;2 min&nbsp;·&nbsp;379 words&nbsp;·&nbsp;James Lange

The Challenger Disaster That Unfolded On Live Television 1986

A crew of seven was assigned to the spaceship. Commander Richard Scobee, Pilot Michael Smith, and Mission Specialist Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, and Ronald McNair were astronauts. Gregory Jarvi, an aerospace engineer, and Christa McAuliffe’s assignment, a teacher from New Hampshire, were payload specialists. Although shuttle launches were considered so routine that network television no longer broadcast them, there was special interest in this one because a teacher — the first private citizen to go into space — was on board....

<span title='2024-10-02 00:00:00 +0000 UTC'>October 2, 2024</span>&nbsp;·&nbsp;4 min&nbsp;·&nbsp;838 words&nbsp;·&nbsp;Kenneth Wroblewski

The Civil Rights Battles In Rare Historical Pictures 1964

One of the most notable challenges to the status quo was the 1954 landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas which questioned the notion of “separate but equal” in public education. The Court found that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal” and a violation of the 14th Amendment. This decision polarized Americans, fostered debate and served as a catalyst to encourage federal action to protect civil rights....

<span title='2024-10-02 00:00:00 +0000 UTC'>October 2, 2024</span>&nbsp;·&nbsp;4 min&nbsp;·&nbsp;764 words&nbsp;·&nbsp;Brent Wisniewski

The Corpse Of Reichsf Hrer Ss Heinrich Himmler After His Suicide By Poison 1945

But Eisenhower refused to have anything to do with Himmler. A furious Hitler declared Himmler a traitor, stripped him of his powers, and expelled him from the Nazi Party. Rejected by his former comrades and hunted by the Allies, Himmler attempted to go into hiding. He disguised himself by shaving off his mustache, wearing an eye patch over his left eye, and carrying false identity papers under the name of Sergeant Heinrich Hitzinger....

<span title='2024-10-02 00:00:00 +0000 UTC'>October 2, 2024</span>&nbsp;·&nbsp;2 min&nbsp;·&nbsp;386 words&nbsp;·&nbsp;Mary Pelton

The North African Campaign In Pictures 1940 1943

Oil in particular had become a critical strategic commodity due to the increased mechanization of modern armies. Britain, which was the first major nation to field a completely mechanized army, was particularly dependent on Middle Eastern oil. The Suez Canal also provided Britain with a valuable link to her overseas dominions–part of a lifeline that ran through the Mediterranean Sea. Thus, the North African campaign and the naval campaign for the Mediterranean were extensions of each other in a very real sense....

<span title='2024-10-02 00:00:00 +0000 UTC'>October 2, 2024</span>&nbsp;·&nbsp;23 min&nbsp;·&nbsp;4694 words&nbsp;·&nbsp;Aaron Murphy

The Story Of New York City S Swimming Pools Through Photographs 1930 1960

New Yorkers have been taking the plunge in the Big Apple since the late 1800s, when the state legislature passed a law mandating free bathhouses in cities with populations over 50,000. The state believed it was necessary to provide bathing facilities for families in overcrowded tenements, where sanitary issues were a major concern. Bathhouses, the predecessor of the swimming pool, were initially used for cleansing and therapeutic purposes but became more geared towards recreation over the years....

<span title='2024-10-02 00:00:00 +0000 UTC'>October 2, 2024</span>&nbsp;·&nbsp;4 min&nbsp;·&nbsp;645 words&nbsp;·&nbsp;David Fry

The Will And William West Case The Identical Inmates That Showed The Need For Fingerprinting 1903

Using West’s measurements and description, identification clerks matched him to the record of William West, who had a previous conviction for murder. Not surprisingly, in the clerks’ view, West denied that he was this man. The discovery of Will West’s past conviction must have seemed routine to the Leavenworth clerks: once again, the world-famous Bertillon system of identification had prevented a criminal from escaping his past. Once again, science had exposed a criminal’s lies and evasions....

<span title='2024-10-02 00:00:00 +0000 UTC'>October 2, 2024</span>&nbsp;·&nbsp;4 min&nbsp;·&nbsp;704 words&nbsp;·&nbsp;Elizabeth Lona

These Photos Capture Street Scenes Of Soviet Union In The Early 1970S

These vintage photos, taken by Sten-Åke Stenberg, depict the street scenes and everyday life in the Soviet Union in the early 1970s. The Soviet 1970s was long. Coinciding with the rule of Leonid Brezhnev from 1964 to 1982 in both scholarly and popular understanding, the period is associated with a variety of concepts—“developed socialism,” “mature socialism,” “re-Stalinization,” and, most often, “stagnation.” But as many scholars of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe are increasingly noting, the 1970s as a period of stagnation is too simple....

<span title='2024-10-02 00:00:00 +0000 UTC'>October 2, 2024</span>&nbsp;·&nbsp;4 min&nbsp;·&nbsp;661 words&nbsp;·&nbsp;Bridgette Mcleod

These Stunning Old Photos Show What Amsterdam Looked Like In The 1930S

Originally a small fishing village in the late 12th century, Amsterdam became a major world port during the Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century, when the Netherlands was an economic powerhouse. Amsterdam is the leading center for finance and trade, as well as a hub of production of secular art. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the city expanded and many new neighborhoods and suburbs were planned and built....

<span title='2024-10-02 00:00:00 +0000 UTC'>October 2, 2024</span>&nbsp;·&nbsp;4 min&nbsp;·&nbsp;719 words&nbsp;·&nbsp;Mark Coffman

Two Soviet Infantrymen Frozen To Death In Their Foxhole 1940

The saddest thing about this is that just by covering that fox hole with some branches and putting snow on top the temperature in the foxhole would have risen to about -3 Celsius. With those heavy coats, the soldiers might even have felt the necessity to strip some layers. But that’s what happens when you send untrained troops to the Front. The Soviets didn’t care too much for their soldiers’ training or life....

<span title='2024-10-02 00:00:00 +0000 UTC'>October 2, 2024</span>&nbsp;·&nbsp;4 min&nbsp;·&nbsp;692 words&nbsp;·&nbsp;Evan Stuart

Vibrant Color Photographs Of Chicago S Rail Yards Taken By Jack Delano 1940S

More lines of track radiate in more directions from Chicago than from any other city in the United States. Chicago built its first rail connection in 1848 to connect the Windy City with the lead mines of Galena, Illinois. Later lines connected the city with Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati, New Orleans, St. Louis, Kansas City, Omaha, and St. Paul. Chicago has long been the most important interchange point for freight traffic between the nation’s major railroads and it is the hub of Amtrak, the intercity rail passenger system....

<span title='2024-10-02 00:00:00 +0000 UTC'>October 2, 2024</span>&nbsp;·&nbsp;2 min&nbsp;·&nbsp;363 words&nbsp;·&nbsp;Steven Sturgis

Vintage Airline Ads That Used The Sex Sells Approach To Sell Tickets 1960S 1980S

While “sex sells” is one of those universally-known truths that just seem so obvious, there are studies that show that it’s not always the case. However, sex in airline advertising was used heavily during the 1960s and 1970s in a push to attract the men clientele. (Also worth checking: A photographic historical look at the sexy stewardesses of the 1960s-1980s). Surprisingly using this idea of “sex sells” began as early as even 1871....

<span title='2024-10-02 00:00:00 +0000 UTC'>October 2, 2024</span>&nbsp;·&nbsp;4 min&nbsp;·&nbsp;824 words&nbsp;·&nbsp;Patrick May

Vintage Photographs Of A Drive In Church In Florida 1947

These rare photographs of a drive-in church in St. Petersburg (Florida) were captured for an article to be featured in LIFE magazine that was never published. They’re definitely lacking some popcorn, maybe a few roller-skating preachers delivering the altar bread, but all in all, the idea gives some spice to a Sunday service. St. Petersburg still has a drive-in church today, but without the impressive line-up of classic cars, we can imagine it doesn’t quite have the same charm....

<span title='2024-10-02 00:00:00 +0000 UTC'>October 2, 2024</span>&nbsp;·&nbsp;2 min&nbsp;·&nbsp;366 words&nbsp;·&nbsp;Theodore Waller

Vintage Photos Revealing The Early Days Of The World S Most Iconic Companies

The origins of some of the world’s most iconic companies are often shrouded in myth and legend, with stories of innovation, perseverance, and luck. But what did these companies really look like in their early days? Thanks to the power of photography, we can now glimpse into the past and explore the early days of some of the most recognizable brands in the world. Whether you’re a business enthusiast or a history buff, these vintage photos are sure to captivate and inspire....

<span title='2024-10-02 00:00:00 +0000 UTC'>October 2, 2024</span>&nbsp;·&nbsp;15 min&nbsp;·&nbsp;3190 words&nbsp;·&nbsp;Wayne Pilgrim

Weird Smoking Accessories From The Past That Didn T Catch On 1930S 1950S

Inventors introduced and advertised several cigarette accessories, such as automated lighters, remote smoking apparatus, double-barrel cigarette holders, umbrella smoke holders, waterproof puffs, carry-on ashtrays, etc. Cigarette smoking grew rapidly in America in the early part of the twentieth century, following the invention of automatic cigarette rolling machines and the rise of advertising and promotion on an unprecedented scale. Cigarette use grew despite opposition from temperance advocates and religious leaders concerned that smoking would lead to alcohol abuse and narcotic drugs, especially among youth....

<span title='2024-10-02 00:00:00 +0000 UTC'>October 2, 2024</span>&nbsp;·&nbsp;9 min&nbsp;·&nbsp;1798 words&nbsp;·&nbsp;Dorthy Rivera

Worker And Supervisor At A Car Factory Moscow 1954

Meanwhile, the supervisor has that one hand at the collar of her dress like she’s trying to slightly spread it more and draw attention to her chest. The scene just screams sexual tension. Or, since it’s a factory, it’s just really loud and they have to be close to hear what the hell the other person is saying. And everything else is a happy coincidence. Soviet efforts to expand social, political, and economic opportunities for women constitute the earliest and perhaps most far-reaching attempt ever undertaken to transform the status and role of women....

<span title='2024-10-02 00:00:00 +0000 UTC'>October 2, 2024</span>&nbsp;·&nbsp;2 min&nbsp;·&nbsp;334 words&nbsp;·&nbsp;Terese Gilling

World S Highest Standard Of Living There S No Way Like The American Way 1937

She photographed the city from makeshift rafts, recording one of the largest natural disasters in American history which claimed close to 400 lives and left roughly one million people homeless across five states in the winter of that terrible year. One of the most famous pictures she took shows African-American men, women, and children lined up outside a flood relief agency. In striking contrast to their grim faces, the billboard for the National Association of Manufacturers above them depicts a smiling white family of four (and their dog) riding in a car under a banner with the ultimately ironic slogan “World’s Highest Standard of Living....

<span title='2024-10-01 00:00:00 +0000 UTC'>October 1, 2024</span>&nbsp;·&nbsp;2 min&nbsp;·&nbsp;289 words&nbsp;·&nbsp;Patricia Callahan