James Lucas@JamesLucasIT · Mar 12, 2025

Thread of historical photos you've (probably) never seen before 🧵 1. Eiffel Tower during construction, 1887-1889

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Summary

A curated collection of rare historical photographs spanning from the 1800s to 1981, including iconic structures like the Eiffel Tower under construction, famous cultural moments like Einstein meeting Chaplin, and unusual historical events like a Civil War veteran surviving a shot between the eyes.

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Thread of historical photos you've (probably) never seen before 🧵 1. Eiffel Tower during construction, 1887-1889
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2. Billionaire John D. Rockefeller gives a nickel to a child on his 84th birthday in 1923
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3. This is a real photo of two people, Gladys Roy and Ivan Unger, playing tennis on top of a plane flying at 3000 feet in November 1925.
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4. San Francisco’s iconic Cliff House, before It was destroyed by a fire in 1907
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5. Spanish Flu, 1918. family portrait
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6. An undercover police officer In order to crack down on muggers and sex offenders, an NYPD officer went undercover dressed as a 'tall, voluptuous woman." New York, Brooklyn, 1 July 1969.
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7. A 2800-year-old-embrace The "Hasanlu lovers," who died around 800 B.C., were discovered in 1973. Their remains were found entwined in what seems to be an intimate embrace or kiss, a position they preserved for nearly 2,800 years.
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8. Egyptian man smoking at the top of the Pyramid of Giza, Egypt, 1981
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9. Miners, France, 1970. A time not so long ago.
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10. What is now the fully developed Las Vegas strip, 1952
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11. Princess Grace of Monaco visiting JFK at the White House, 1961
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12. Grand Central, NYC, 1929 It’s not possible to take such a photograph anymore, as the buildings outside block the sun rays.
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13. The last photo (colorized) of Hachiko, the faithful dog who waited for over 9 years outside Shibuya Station for his master to return even after he had died.
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14. Victorian couple trying not to laugh during a photoshoot in the 1890s
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15. Civil War veteran Jacob Miller was shot right between the eyes and survived. From Sept. 19, 1863, to his death more than five decades later he "lived with an open wound in his forehead."
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16. This picture from the 1927 Tour de France shows riders Julien Vervaecke and Maurice Geldhof taking a quick cigarette break while competing.
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17. Star Wars cast out of costumes in 1977
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18. This is Danish clothier Christian Troelstrup and the building he covered with over a thousand coats to attract buyers, 1936.
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19. When Einstein met Chaplin in 1931, Einstein said: "What I admire about your art is its universality. You do not say a word, and yet the world understands you." Chaplin replied: "It's true. But your fame is even greater. The world admires you, when no one understands you."
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20. Europe? Actually, this was Chicago in 1893. The Peristyle, built for the World's Fair, measured 500 ft. in length and 50 ft. in height, with its massive columns representing the different States and Territories. The men by the columns illustrate the scale of the structure.
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James Lucas@JamesLucasIT · Mar 12, 2025
Thread of historical photos you've (probably) never seen before 🧵 1. Eiffel Tower during construction, 1887-1889
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Completed on March 31, 1889, the Eiffel Tower was constructed in just over two years. It was originally intended to stand for 20 years before being dismantled. The tower held the record as the tallest man-made structure until 1930 when the Chrysler Building claimed the title.