While a photo can be worth a thousand words, historical photos are worth so much more than that. A good historical photo can throw us into a different time and place, enabling us to empathize with a particular moment that is otherwise hard to imagine.

In this article, we gathered some amazing photos that capture historical moments that are worth reflecting on. All of the photos are real, with no photo-shopping or editing whatsoever.

Ronald McDonald

Did you know that before he became Ronald McDonald, Willard Scott was a famous TV star in Washington, where he played Bozo the Clown? Kids loved Bozo! When Bozo’s show ended, McDonald’s asked Willard to be their new clown mascot. Here’s the twist: McDonald’s usually has only one actor at a time playing Ronald in commercials and events. So, Willard Scott went from being Bozo to becoming the iconic Ronald McDonald, making him a part of fast-food history!

1940s Fashion

Back in the 1940s and ’50s, this bra style was all the rage! So, the next time you’re not too keen on today’s fashion, remember that women have been using different things to cover up their chests for centuries. Can you believe it? There were even some bra-like things around in the 14th century! Then, in the late 1800s, bras took over from corsets as the go-to chest support, and by the early 1900s, they started looking a lot like the ones we wear today. Fashion sure has come a long way!

Playing Football

Check out this old photo from the early 1910s of a high school soccer team! Did you know that what we now call American football was once known as “gridiron”? Here’s a cool fact: American football actually grew from games like soccer and rugby. The very first football game happened in 1869 between Rutgers and Princeton college teams. And, in 1920, the National Football League (NFL) was born as the American Professional Football Association.

The Three Stooges in Yellowstone

Even if you haven’t seen their comedy, you’ve probably heard of The Three Stooges – they’re comedy legends! Now, here’s a cool story: In 2019, a Reddit user shared an amazing old photo. It was taken by their grandpa back in 1969, and guess who’s in it? Two of The Three Stooges! The caption said that their grandpa worked in Yellowstone as a park ranger and snapped this pic when The Three Stooges paid a visit. Imagine the fun they must have had!

Satisfied Audience

Imagine this: On February 11th, 1954, the famous Marilyn Monroe was on a stage, entertaining thousands of allied troops in Korea. Here’s the backstory: In January 1954, she married Joe DiMaggio, and they went to Japan for their honeymoon. While Joe was busy with baseball, Marilyn went to Korea, which had just finished the Korean War. She did a tour, performing at American military bases, and put on 10 shows for about 100,000 servicemen.