Russian Railroad Workshop
Collection of images from 1912 documenting architecture of railroad workshop in Ribinsk, city close to Moscow. via English Russia
1910s
Vintage: Paris Under Water (1910)
The 1910 Great Flood of Paris was a catastrophe in which the Seine River, carrying winter rains from its tributaries, flooded Paris agglomeration, France. The Seine water level rose eight meters above the ordinary level. Winter floods were a normal occurrence in Paris but, on 21 January, the river began to rise more rapidly than normal. Over the course of…
Movie Theatre Etiquette Posters from 1912
The Library of Congress has a fascinating series of vintage movie theatre “etiquette” posters from 1912. At the time, films were silent as movies with sound didn’t become prevalent until the late 1920s. Sadly, a September 2013 report by the United States Library of Congress announced that a total of 70% of American silent films are believed to be completely…
Vintage: The Eastland disaster (1915)
A large crowd of horrified spectators watched as the S.S. Eastland – only a few feet from the shore of the Chicago River downtown — turned on its side. It was in just 20 feet of water, but that was deep enough to drown 844 people who were trapped or trampled below decks. via Chicago Tribune
Vintage Glass Plate diptych portraits of Women & Girls (1904-1917)
Collection of early 20th century Glass Plate negative diptych portraits of Women & Girls from David Knights-Whittome Photographic Archive 1904-1917.
Vintage: Russian air force of 1915
The Imperial Russian Air Service was founded in 1912. At the beginning of World War I, Russia’s air service was second only to that of France (263 aeroplanes and 14 airships), although the bulk of its aircraft were too outdated to be of much use. via English Russia
Vintage: Imperial Russian Submarines (1910s)
Imperial Russian Navy (IRN) had purchased German constructed submersibles built by the Germaniawerft shipyards out of Kiel. In 1903 Germany successfully completed its first fully functional engine-powered submarine, Forelle (Trout), and it was sold to Russia in 1904 and shipped via the Trans-Siberian Railway to the combat zone during the Russo-Japanese War. Due to the naval blockade of Port Arthur,…
Woman Suffrage Parade of 1913
The Woman Suffrage Parade of 1913 was the first suffragist parade in Washington, D.C.. Organized by the suffragist Alice Paul. The parade, calling for a constitutional amendment, featured 8,000 marchers, including nine bands, four mounted brigades, 20 floats, and an allegorical performance near the Treasury Building. Though the parade began late, it appeared to be off to a good start…
Vintage: Chicago’s 1919 race riot
The riots began after an incident at a South side beach where an African-American teenager was killed, setting off five violence-filled days where dozens died and hundreds were injured. The rioting wasn’t quelled until Gov. Frank Lowden sent in 6,500 state militia troops to draw a line between the white and black districts. In the end, 23 African-Americans and 15…
The Boston Molasses Disaster of 1919
The Boston Molasses Disaster occurred on January 15, 1919, in the North End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States. A large molasses storage tank burst, and a wave of molasses rushed through the streets at an estimated 35 mph (56 km/h), killing 21 and injuring 150. The event has entered local folklore, and for decades afterward, residents claimed…
Cats and Dogs Dressed as People (1910s)
Harry Whittier Frees (1879–1953) was an American photographer who created novelty postcards and children’s books based on his photographs of live, posed animals. He dressed the animals and posed them in human situations with props, often with captions; these can be seen as progenitors of modern lolcats.
Roy Repp and his Stunt Car
Roy Repp was an Australian stunt driver. One of his stunt cars was Maude the Motor Mule. For this car, he would pull a lever, and a heavy weight beneath the car moves forward or backward to shift the center of gravity and makes the car rear up on its hind wheels or front wheels. via Library of Congress
Rochester’s Great Flood of 1913
The winter had been unusually warm and rainy, and the ground already soaked to the max, when a powerful arctic weather system – stretching from Ontario down to the Gulf of Mexico – swept through. Beginning on Easter Sunday, March 23, the rains pounded all of upstate New York. Hurricane force winds and heavy sleet took down power and communication…
