These Rare Historic Photos Show Extraordinary Practices In The 1900s
History is witness to some of the most bizarre practices. These rituals haven’t made it to the 21st century for a variety of reasons. However, they perhaps existed due to the limitations of technology and time. Nonetheless, these fascinating glimpses into the past will leave you speechless.
Enhanced Ears: These external appendages were meant to enhance the hearing of the “spotters,” way before there was radar and satellite imaging to spot incoming enemy aircraft. These personnel were referred to as “Sound Finders.”
Image Credit | Imgur
Faux Stockings: Women in 1942 would regularly paint their legs to look like they were wearing stockings.
Image Credit | Rare Historical Photos
Women’s Boxing: 1930s wasn’t a time to sport your mean right hook, especially if you were a woman. Women had to practice their punches in privacy, on roofs.
Image Credit | Reddit
The Dynasphere: A monowheel built in 1932 that can go up to 25 miles an hour. Though it may not sound fast, the inventor had managed to keep the driver upright in a single motorized turning giant wheel.
Image Credit | BBC
Buoyant Swimsuits: These bathing suits were made from wood, in the hopes that the wood will help you stay buoyant. Women must have gotten many splinters back then.
Image Credit | Vintag
Operation Babylift: Babies, orphaned after the loss of their parents during the Vietnam war, were transported to the United States in 1975 by airplanes. Though the actual number is shrouded in mystery, according to official records, over 3,300 babies were flown out of the war-torn country and distributed across the world.
Image Credit | Imgur
A Beauty Contest For Ankles: Women showed a lot less skin back then. Hence, whatever that was left exposed was considered as a yardstick for beauty. Here a policeman judges an ankle contest in the 1930s.
Image Credit | Imgur
Two Rebels Soaking In The Sun: Fidel Castro and Che Guevara can be seen enjoying fishing in 1960.
Image Credit | Kizaz
The Lone Rebel: Here a singular man can be seen defying the Fuhrer. Everyone else seems to be doing the infamous Nazi salute in this photo from 1936.
Image Credit | Rare Historical Photos
The Law Chasing On Foot: During the Prague Spring in 1968, a Soviet soldier chases a young Czech man who was throwing rocks at a tank.
Image Credit | Magnum Photos
A Bridge of Chairs: People in Paris avoid getting wet in the flood by stepping on a series of chairs in this 1924 photo. Paris regularly gets submerged when it rains heavily.
Image Credit | Facie Populi
The Ku Klux Klan: In this rare photo taken in 1983, a Ku Klux Clan member is protected, ironically by a black police officer.
Image Credit | Imgur
Beer Delivery By Planes: Though this was never a standard mode of delivery, the military had to somehow get the beer to its troops. In this undated photo, a brewery can be seen delivering kegs on a spitfire to troops fighting in Normandy.
Image Credit | Imgur
The rare exception: Though mobile TV hasn’t been perfected yet, a portable TV concept was developed way back in 1967. While the technology may have been limited, the concept is still chased by companies even today.
Image Credit | Arts Electronic
[Featured Image Credit | Getty Images (Contestants in the Miss Lovely Eyes)]
