23 Historical Photos that are Oddly Unsettling in Their Own Way

Daniel Bonfiglio Published 09/11/2024 in wtf

Society is not the same as it was when cameras were first invented in the mid 1800s, and many normal photos from those days look more like nightmare fuel to the modern eye.

But some things are creepy no matter what time you're from, and photographers have always made sure to capture as much of that as they can.

Whether through real unsettling circumstances or odd traditions of the times, here are 23 historical photos that just don't sit right.

List View
Player View
Grid View

1.
A meeting of the Mickey Mouse Club, early 1930s.
2.
A little boy riding an odd giant rabbit, 1956.
3.
1930’s gangster Alvin "Creepy" Karpis, had his fingerprints removed to help evade identification.
4.
Little boy holds his cat in front of a mirror, 1910.
5.
1000 yard smile from unknown WWI soldier 1916 - 1918.
6.
Italian soldiers wearing gas masks. 1916.
7.
A giant snowman measuring 17 feet made by two children in Aberdeen, Scotland 1963.
8.
The Making of Mount Rushmore, 1939.
9.
Guy de Rothschild and Marie-Hélène de Rothschild. The Rothschild's Surrealist Ball, 1972.
10.
The first permanent photograph. 1825.
11.
Superman in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. New York City, November 21, 1940.
12.
"Eyes of Hate," A photograph of Goebbels after he finds out his photographer was Jewish Geneva, September 1933.
13.
Halloween in the 1930s.
14.
The moment of detonation at Nagasaki August 9, 1945.
15.
Workplace gymnastics, Ulyanovsk, USSR, 1981.
16.
Max Schreck relaxing behind the scenes of Nosferatu, 1922.
17.
“It’s October 31th 1977, me and my little sister are ready for Halloween, but first we had to stop by Grandpa’s store.”
18.
Soccer team of British soldiers with gas masks, World War I, somewhere in Northern France, 1916.
19.
The Michelin band performs at the opening of the Michelin Hour radio program, 1928.
20.
Job hunting in the 1930's.
21.
SR-71 and Pilots in Full Pressure Suits at Lockheed Martin, Late 1980's.
22.
Guy tips his hat to a group of ladies, 1920s.
23.
The headquarters of Benito Mussolini's National Fascist Party in Rome, 1934.

1.
A meeting of the Mickey Mouse Club, early 1930s.
2.
A little boy riding an odd giant rabbit, 1956.
3.
1930’s gangster Alvin "Creepy" Karpis, had his fingerprints removed to help evade identification.
4.
Little boy holds his cat in front of a mirror, 1910.
5.
1000 yard smile from unknown WWI soldier 1916 - 1918.
6.
Italian soldiers wearing gas masks. 1916.
7.
A giant snowman measuring 17 feet made by two children in Aberdeen, Scotland 1963.
8.
The Making of Mount Rushmore, 1939.
9.
Guy de Rothschild and Marie-Hélène de Rothschild. The Rothschild's Surrealist Ball, 1972.
10.
The first permanent photograph. 1825.
11.
Superman in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. New York City, November 21, 1940.
12.
"Eyes of Hate," A photograph of Goebbels after he finds out his photographer was Jewish Geneva, September 1933.
13.
Halloween in the 1930s.
14.
The moment of detonation at Nagasaki August 9, 1945.
15.
Workplace gymnastics, Ulyanovsk, USSR, 1981.
16.
Max Schreck relaxing behind the scenes of Nosferatu, 1922.
17.
“It’s October 31th 1977, me and my little sister are ready for Halloween, but first we had to stop by Grandpa’s store.”
18.
Soccer team of British soldiers with gas masks, World War I, somewhere in Northern France, 1916.
19.
The Michelin band performs at the opening of the Michelin Hour radio program, 1928.
20.
Job hunting in the 1930's.
21.
SR-71 and Pilots in Full Pressure Suits at Lockheed Martin, Late 1980's.
22.
Guy tips his hat to a group of ladies, 1920s.
23.
The headquarters of Benito Mussolini's National Fascist Party in Rome, 1934.