There are numerous well-known images out there that we have all seen countless times. There are, however, just as many undiscovered treasures that are so uncommon you’ve probably never seen them before.
Let’s look at some unique images that portray a different aspect of history.
Staircase On The Titanic Before And After The Accident
An impressive staircase was one of the Titanic’s many notable features. Sadly, the staircase has never been captured on camera.
We can get a pretty good idea of what the staircase must have looked like before the crash thanks to the RMS Olympic, a nearly identical ship from the same era that sailed until 1935.
The Stewardess Who Escaped From Two Sailing Ships’ Sinking
Although it’s unlikely that you’ve heard of her, Argentine stewardess and nurse Violet Jessop accomplished a miraculous feat that no one else in human history has been able to do again.
She was present when the RMS Olympic and Titanic sank in 1911 and 1912, and lived through both events. During both incidents, she saved children and assisted passengers in boarding lifeboats.
Norma Jean Dougherty
In 1943, Norma Jean Dougherty was a young woman who posed for a picture. She had no idea that a few years after this picture was taken, she would become one of the biggest stars in the world.
This young woman later became Marilyn Monroe. She entered Hollywood gradually after beginning as a model. What follows is history.
Young Johnny Carson
One of the most legendary hosts of late-night talk shows is Johnny Carson. He created The Tonight Show and served as its host for an amazing 30 years.
It’s difficult to believe that he once was a young kid with lofty goals. Here he was in 1940, just 15 years old. He had no idea that one day he would be a huge celebrity.
Amelia Earhart
Amelia Earhart made significant contributions to aviation. She was the first female pilot to cross the Atlantic Ocean alone and had no fear.
One of the final pictures of her taken before she vanished is this one. She was very fashionable, as you can see, especially for the time.
The Aqua-Trail Houseboat, 1959
After the end of World War II, American consumerism soared. Mass production of all kinds of goods began, and technological development accelerated.
The first attempt at a camping trailer that could also serve as a houseboat was the Aqua-Trail houseboat. There were only 32 produced, and if you can find one, it is currently worth millions of dollars.
1863 Civil War veteran
Humans can withstand a variety of wounds, but being shot in the head is not one of them. The odds of surviving are extremely slim, and they were even slimmer in the 1800s.
When he survived being shot in the forehead during the Civil War, Jacob Miller defied all expectations. He also suffered from a number of other wounds but fully recovered.
Sammy Davis Jr. & Clint Eastwood
Sammy Davis Jr. and a young Clint Eastwood are seen in this uncommon photo taken backstage at the Sands Hotel following Davis’ concert in 1959. Eastwood’s career was just beginning at the time.
What was the connection between these two myths? Apparently, they were both gun lovers. The pair were captured on camera admiring a revolver.
Posing for billboard painters as a model
These days, billboards are everywhere. They are simple to set up and appear to change every few weeks. However, everything was different in 1947.
In reality, hand-painted billboards were created by painters who had to risk their lives to reach those heights. Models would also occasionally be used.
Bob Ross’s Air Force Assignment
Without the side-by-side images, it would be very difficult to identify Bob Ross on the left. All of us are accustomed to seeing him with his thick hair and beard.
Ross was a master sergeant in his earlier years. He spent 20 years in the air force rather than bringing joy to the world on television. He went away to pursue his love of painting.
Abraham Lincoln and his son
President Abraham Lincoln would typically be pictured with other prominent politicians or Heads of State, so this was a very unusual occasion for him.
Here, he can be seen beaming while posing for a photo with his son Tad. Lincoln was killed ten weeks after the photo was taken.
Want to read some more interesting stuff? Check out Events in History That Happened Very Differently Than You Were Taught.
Priests and Hippies Interact
The last thing that comes to mind when we envision a hippie festival is a gathering of priests. However, in 1971, these priests attended the Glastonbury festival.
They were there to share the gospel with the attendees, who could care less about the music, not to listen to it. This incredible image that highlights the contrast between two distinctly different worlds is the end result.
An unadorned Geisha, 1905
If this picture weren’t in black and white, one might assume it was taken only a few years ago because it looks so contemporary. But this picture was taken more than a century ago.
It portrays a Geisha without the customary makeup and with her hair down, which was incredibly uncommon to see. These women have never been seen or captured in photos like this.
Newlyweds Near the Waterhen River
In this photograph from Saskatchewan, Canada, taken in 1931, a young infatuated couple is seen posing close to the Waterhen River.
It was extremely uncommon for two natives to pose unafraid for a photographer like Paul Coze. Native Americans were typically very reserved due to the widespread prejudice they faced from the Caucasian population.
Marilyn Monroe As Theda Bara, 1958
Even though Marilyn Monroe is as stunning as ever, she is not recognisable in this picture. She honored the woman who had come a few decades earlier as the biggest sex symbol of her time.
Theda Bara, a silent film actress known by the stage name “The Vamp,” was the woman in question. Here, Monroe aped Cleopatra to recreate Bara’s famous appearance.
Dinner Party in 1904 at the Hotel Astor
History Daily Hotel, in picture One of the priciest and most opulent hotels in New York City was Astor. Only extremely wealthy people would stay there, and a room would be extremely expensive.
The hotel had just opened when this picture was taken in 1904, just a few months later. A lavish dinner party is depicted, with all the men seated at one table and the women seated all the way in the back.
