The Most Powerful Historical Pictures

We all like to see glimpses into forgotten periods of history, and to imagine for ourselves what it may have been like during certain golden eras of time. Thanks to the magic of photography, we still have images and snapshots of some of the most iconic moments of the past—and through history lessons and memories, there is always so much for us to learn.

But once in a while you see a photo from the past that can truly shock and surprise you—as it just doesn’t make sense in today’s world. Let’s take a look at some of the most amazing photos from the past that you would never see today.

Floating House, 1920

We know what you are thinking. Is this a scene from the classic movie The Wizard of Oz? But no! This is a real-life image of something that actually happened. In a particularly huge flood in 1920, this house slid down the embankment and right into the water.

We are not sure how this was possible, but perhaps houses built in those days didn’t have as strong foundations to keep them rooted to the spot in case of extreme weather conditions.

However it happened, it makes for a truly astonishing photo.

Snowball Fight, 1893

With welts and swellings of such magnitude, you might think these three boys were forced to take a photo after taking quite a beating. Well, they did—just not the kind you’d expect.

These three freshmen boys were victims of an intense snowball fight at Princeton University back in the 1890s. With sophomores intent on showing the freshmen boys their place, it’s safe to say they didn’t exactly go easy on the winter game folks usually love.

The Mattress

People used to get into all sorts of trouble back in the day. Whether it was one of these lovely ladies’ time of the month or they just delivered a child, this photo of a group of women holding up a mattress covered in an unidentified stain will forever live in our minds.

Luckily, it’s immortalized in black and white. We just wish we knew the back story behind this unusual photo.

Billy Rose’s “Aquabelles”, 1939

Theatrical showman Billy Rose was a famous staple of the New York entertainment scene for decades spanning across World War II and in 1939, he staged one of his most popular and famous shows of all, a fashion parade featuring his “Aquabelles”.