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35 Interesting Historical Photos That Show How Much The World Has Changed
HistoryFEB 1, 2025

35 Interesting Historical Photos That Show How Much The World Has Changed

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Before cameras, history was told through words, paintings, and fading memories. But with their invention, we gained something remarkable—the ability to capture moments exactly as they were. Now, we can look back and see life in stunning detail, from everyday moments to world-defining events.
One of the best places to find rare and fascinating images from the past is the subreddit r/Historycord, home to the largest partnered history server on Discord. We’ve gathered some of their most intriguing posts below—explore them, upvote your favorites, and if you’re curious to learn more about the group, don’t miss our conversation with its head admin. Enjoy!

#1 A Police Officer Playing Duck Duck Goose With Children In New York, 1970

A Police Officer Playing Duck Duck Goose With Children In New York, 1970
159points

#2 Firefighters Protecting The General Sherman, The Largest Tree In The World, From A Wildfire

Firefighters Protecting The General Sherman, The Largest Tree In The World, From A Wildfire
136points

#3 Harlem Grocer Standing In Front Of His Store, 1937

Harlem Grocer Standing In Front Of His Store, 1937
127points

With 76,000 members on Reddit and nearly 20,000 on Discord, Historycord describes itself as a community for “people who live and breathe history.” What sets the group apart is its dedication to accuracy—it doesn’t just encourage members to share interesting historical photos and videos but also to analyze, critique, and improve their knowledge.

#4 Cheyenne Dog Soldier Black Wolf, 1921

Cheyenne Dog Soldier Black Wolf, 1921
121points

#5 Jesse Owens, An American Athlete, In London Following His Four Gold Medals At The 1936 Berlin Olympics

Jesse Owens, An American Athlete, In London Following His Four Gold Medals At The 1936 Berlin Olympics
116points

#6 German Soldiers React To Footage Of Concentration Camps, 1945

German Soldiers React To Footage Of Concentration Camps, 1945
112points

Bored Panda reached out to the team behind Historycord and spoke with Pablo, the senior administrator and de facto head of the subreddit.

He explained that the group first began as a Discord server—now the largest history-focused server on the platform—before expanding to Reddit.

“We created this subreddit to grow that community at first, but now it has blossomed into something much larger than we had ever imagined,” he told us.

#7 A Woman In The 1950’s Standing Next To A Redwood Tree

A Woman In The 1950’s Standing Next To A Redwood Tree
103points

#8 My Great Grandfather Wrote This Letter To My Grandfather. He Was K**led 8 Days Later

My Great Grandfather Wrote This Letter To My Grandfather. He Was K**led 8 Days Later
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98points

#9 Satchel Paige At His Final Pro Baseball Game In Which He Pitched 3 Scoreless Innings For The Kansas City A’s In 1965 At The Age Of 59. An Easy Chair And A Nurse Were Provided In The Bullpen

Satchel Paige At His Final Pro Baseball Game In Which He Pitched 3 Scoreless Innings For The Kansas City A’s In 1965 At The Age Of 59. An Easy Chair And A Nurse Were Provided In The Bullpen
98points

Pablo may be one of the most qualified history subreddit admins out there. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history and is currently pursuing a master’s in education.

“I have found this subreddit to be surprisingly helpful in structuring my future career, and I am now particularly fascinated in archivism and the National Archives and Records Administration,” he shared. “I like the mesh of edutainment that this server provides, which I believe blends both aspects into a unique and lax environment.”

#10 B-17 Ball Turret Gunner Alan Magee, Who Fell 22,000 Feet Without A Parachute, Landing On The Glass Roof Of St. Nazaire Train Station, Breaking It Through. He Suffered Multiple Injuries, Including A Broken Leg And A Badly Cut Arm, But He Lived. January 3, 1943

B-17 Ball Turret Gunner Alan Magee, Who Fell 22,000 Feet Without A Parachute, Landing On The Glass Roof Of St. Nazaire Train Station, Breaking It Through. He Suffered Multiple Injuries, Including A Broken Leg And A Badly Cut Arm, But He Lived. January 3, 1943
95points

#11 Last Surviving Wooden Door From The Gas Chambers At Auschwitz. For Millions Of Jews, It Was The Last Door They Ever Saw

Last Surviving Wooden Door From The Gas Chambers At Auschwitz. For Millions Of Jews, It Was The Last Door They Ever Saw
84points

#12 Sharon Tate Photographed By Jack Garofalo In Cannes, 1968

Sharon Tate Photographed By Jack Garofalo In Cannes, 1968
83points

Ensuring historical accuracy on social media is no easy task, but it’s more important than ever.

According to the American Historical Association, 26% of people use social media to learn about the past, with that number rising to 35% among those aged 18-29. Meanwhile, TikTok videos labeled #history have collected over 135 billion views.

Given these numbers, it’s refreshing to see a community like Historycord take its role seriously and promote critical thinking.

#13 Burbank High School Parking Lot In Burbank, California 1966

Burbank High School Parking Lot In Burbank, California 1966
83points

#14 American Activist Rachel Corrie, 23, Stands Between An Israeli Bulldozer And A Palestinian House On March 16, 2003, In Rafah In The Gaza Strip. Corrie Was Run Over And Killed By An Israeli Bulldozer As She Protested The Demolition Of Palestinian Houses. (2003)

American Activist Rachel Corrie, 23, Stands Between An Israeli Bulldozer And A Palestinian House On March 16, 2003, In Rafah In The Gaza Strip. Corrie Was Run Over And Killed By An Israeli Bulldozer As She Protested The Demolition Of Palestinian Houses. (2003)
82points

#15 Department Store Workers On Their Lunch Break, Chattanooga, Tn, 1905

Department Store Workers On Their Lunch Break, Chattanooga, Tn, 1905
79points

“Social media is quite good for self-education,” Pablo said. “And I believe the main reason for this is due to the social networking that it promotes. Unlike a website or news board, forums, discussion boards, and social media sites like Reddit and Discord will usually have near-instantaneous critical analysis on any number of claims made by a user.”

“This allows for quick responses in an environment that promotes rapid intellectual equity and personal growth, which I have found extremely useful throughout my experience.”

#16 Lumberjacks, Ca 1900

Lumberjacks, Ca 1900
78points

#17 A Woman Sitting In The Ruins Of Cologne, Germany, 1945

A Woman Sitting In The Ruins Of Cologne, Germany, 1945
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76points

#18 My Dad On Shore Leave - Malaysia In 1940 At 17 Years Old

My Dad On Shore Leave - Malaysia In 1940 At 17 Years Old
74points

If r/Historycord has piqued your interest, Pablo highly recommends checking out the community’s Discord server.

“I would invite you to explore our Discord server to learn more about how our subreddit’s social attitudes were formed, leading to this unique culture on a website such as Reddit,” he said.

#19 A Tourist And His Car At The Edge Of The Grand Canyon. Arizona, USA. 1914

A Tourist And His Car At The Edge Of The Grand Canyon. Arizona, USA. 1914
71points

#20 Anne Frank's Father, Otto Frank, With Other Soldiers In 1915

Anne Frank's Father, Otto Frank, With Other Soldiers In 1915
70points
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