A selection of interesting and unusual photographs from the USA (21 photos)

The 20th century was an era of dramatic change, wars, crises, technological progress and social transformation in the United States. Photographs from this period captured key moments in the history, culture, life and emotions of American society.





Alaska, 1950s.



Photographer: Jean-Philippe Charbonnier

Migrant workers, California, 1947-1953.





Photographer: Wayne F. Miller

B-36 bomber crew, U.S. Air Force. Arctic, 1950s.



A woman with her children and their home in a field near the Tennessee River. USA, 1936.



Photograph of a prisoner being punished in Georgia. USA, 1932.



Photographer: John Spivak

Girls fishing next to a Studebaker Big Six. USA, 1919.

Of course, it is immediately clear that the girls did not come to fish, but to advertise the Studebaker automobile.



The youngest children of a poor farming family. Maryland, 1940.

This is the youngest of Edward Gant's 13 children at the time. The child's name was Bobby Gant. He was born on January 4, 1939 and died on June 26, 2011 in Ridge, Maryland. His full name was Robert Bellarmine Gant. He lived to be 72 years old.



Post Office in Searsburg, USA, 1914.

If you look closely, you can see a sign on the barn that says "This post office is closed on Sundays."



Mount Hood in Oregon. USA, 1930s.

Mount Hood is one of the most famous volcanoes located in the state of Oregon. It is a picturesque and popular place for tourists, climbers and nature lovers. Mount Hood is part of the Cascade Volcanic Belt , which stretches along the west coast of North America. The height of this volcano is 3426 meters.



A boxing match between elderly women. New York, USA, 1925.



A woman drives through a hole in the trunk of a giant sequoia. USA, 1930s.

The first known attempt to cut a tunnel through the trunk of a sequoia was made in the mid-19th century. This was part of the development of tourism in California after the discovery of gold in 1848.

In the 1880s, the famous "Tunnel Tree" was created in Yosemite National Park. This tunnel was cut into a living tree so that tourists could walk or ride horses through its trunk.

However, the "Tunnel Tree" could not withstand the time and fell under the weight of snow in 1969.

In the 20th century, tunnels were cut less frequently into living trees due to environmental concerns. Instead, already damaged or fallen trees were often used.



Photographer: H. Armstrong Roberts

Girls on scooters. Miami, 1935.

The first scooter appeared much earlier than one might think. Its history goes back to the early 19th century, although modern versions of this vehicle became popular only in the 20th and 21st centuries.



Auto mechanic Sam "Scotty", USA, 1941.



A man inspects the propellers of the Leviathan, which have been disassembled for cleaning. Boston, Massachusetts, 1920s.

Today, cruise ships designed for Arctic routes carry two spare propellers on their decks.

Spare propellers are usually stored in special areas on board a ship, such as the engine room or hold, but there are exceptions where they are secured to the deck.



Zebra Escape, 1933

A comical criminal attempts to escape from prison on the back of an East African zebra, which was stuffed and mounted by Dr. James L. Clark of New York for the University of Nebraska.



Girls with pigtails. Nebraska, early 20th century.



A boy with belongings. Boston, Massachusetts, 1909.

The life of children in the United States in the early 20th century was significantly different from today. Child labor was widespread, especially among poor families. Children worked in factories, mines, farms, laundries, and even on the streets (for example, selling newspapers). This was the result of the lack of laws to protect children's rights. All this continued until 1938, when a law was passed prohibiting child labor.



Photographer: Hine Lewis Weeks

Butter bean vines on a porch. Black neighborhood in Memphis, Tennessee, 1938.



Girls pretend to break Prohibition. USA, 1924.

In 1919, the US Congress passed the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, which prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol. The amendment went into effect on January 16, 1920.



Disco Sally and her boyfriend John Tuzos at Studio 54. New York, 1978.

Sally Lippman, also known as Disco Sally, was an American lawyer, but she is best known as a regular dancer at the discotheque at the club Studio 54.

Studio 54 was one of the most popular nightclubs of its time, where celebrities, artists, musicians and ordinary people gathered to immerse themselves in the world of music, dance and entertainment.

Getting into the club was not easy - there was strict security at the entrance, which selected the most stylish, interesting and famous guests.

Here people could be themselves, experiment with their appearance, behavior and even their personal lives.