36 Historical Images That Are Genuinely Wild To See Now

1.This Civil War draft notice:

A worn letter from the Provost Marshal's Office dated July 14, 1863, notifying an individual of their draft into U.S. military service during the Civil War
u/kidkatdonur7 / Via reddit.com

2.This signature portion of Japan's 1945 surrender, where Canada's rep accidentally signed below their line, causing each subsequent signature to be pushed down a line:

The image shows multiple signatures from representatives of various countries on a document. This includes signatures from United States, China, United Kingdom, USSR, Australia, Canada, France, Netherlands, and New Zealand
u/mertiy / Via reddit.com

3.This American Passport from 1961, which did not permit travel to communist countries:

A passport page showing travel restrictions to China, Korea, Vietnam, Albania, and Hungary, and a New York City admission stamp dated September 8, 1961
u/MidnightMoonrise / Via reddit.com

4.This 1914 article that didn't realize it was reporting on the lead-up to WW1:

A close-up of a July 24, 1914, Daily News newspaper. Headlines include Wilson revoking Jones's nomination, Anna Hammerlin hit by an undertaker's ambulance, and Austria sending an ultimatum to Serbia
u/redhead-set-go / Via reddit.com

5.This 1912 article about climate change:

Old newspaper clipping from The Rodney & Otamatea Times. Headline: Science Notes and News. Article about coal consumption affecting climate, dated August 14, 1912
u/Buttuglymartiansa / Via reddit.com

6.This penny from 1943 that was made with steel, because the government needed copper for ammunition in WWII:

Close-up image of a 1943 Lincoln Wheat Penny, showing both sides: one with Abraham Lincoln’s profile and the other with "ONE CENT" and "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA."
u/ThisUsernameIsTakend / Via reddit.com

7.This ad that reminds us that 14-year-olds used to be allowed to drive:

A young boy is smiling while sitting in the driver's seat of a car. The text beside him discusses the irresponsibility of allowing a 14-year-old to drive cross-country
u/njr123 / Via reddit.com

8.This 1917 letter from a 7-year-old expressing hope that Santa will "kick the Kaiser in the rump":

A handwritten letter reads: "Dear Daddy, tomorrow is Christmas. And I hope Santa Claus will bring you many things. And kick the Kaiser in the rump."
u/robertplantspage / Via reddit.com

9.This 1942 coupon that people could redeem for a new atlas after WWII, since the map was expected to change:

Rand McNally atlas ad: Discusses map updates due to post-WWII boundary changes in Europe. Includes mailing coupon for a new edition. Address: Rand McNally & Company, 536 S. Clark St., Chicago 5, Ill
u/mapgodshibuya / Via reddit.com

10.This 1922 college application:

Elon College application form with fields for personal details, church membership, newspaper preferences, health, special departments, and room reservation requests
u/The_Panda_Of_Mexico / Via reddit.com

11.This list of things children would be "lashed" over in the early 1900s:

List titled "Punishments" detailing offenses such as "Boys and Girls Playing Together" and corresponding lashes, ranging from 2 to 10
[deleted] / Via reddit.com

12.This 1939 article that aged very poorly:

A person holds a copy of The Boston Post newspaper with headlines about a big V.F.W. parade and Hitler's note favoring peace
u/squeenan / Via reddit.com

13.Along with this 1942 headline:

A historical newspaper fragment dated July 3, 1942, with a headline stating, "Nazis Boast Russia Soon to Be Beaten." The paper is old and torn
u/GentlePurpleGiant / Via reddit.com

14.This 1954 recruitment letter from the CIA:

CIA letter dated February 5, 1954, recommending an individual for employment based on qualifications in communications. Signed by Deputy Assistant Director for Personnel
u/chlo3k / Via reddit.com

15.This letter from a Vietnam soldier that's just really, really sad:

A letter dated March 2, 1969. The writer discusses turning 25, feeling older due to war, the death of a friend, and coping with life’s hardships
u/redrumpanda / Via reddit.com

16.This tuition bill that just makes me sad about the state of our country:

Financial agreement from Wesleyan Methodist College dated Sept. 10, 1957, listing various fees, total amount due, and a signature of the Business-Manager, Tressie
u/ghostlunchbox / Via reddit.com

17.This extremely early use of what would become the "like" symbol on Facebook:

Handwritten, partially blurred text on a piece of lined paper, displaying cursive writing
u/fulminic / Via reddit.com

18.This selfie stick in a 1957 Flemish comic:

A blue-suited character in a harness operates an automatic unwinding camera mounted on a long extension while flying through the sky. Dutch text speech bubble
u/MonoLoupe / Via reddit.com

19.This early use of the word "dope," though not with its current definition:

Letter dated September 2, 1945, from Harry Bruce in Tokyo, Japan, to his mom, describing his experiences during the occupation, arrival, and unloading of troops
u/DatLadyD / Via reddit.com

20.This 1938 magazine report on a new device that's essentially a vape:

An article titled "Fireless Tobacco Pipe" describes a new electric device for smoking that heats tobacco to produce vapors without burning it
u/Loch_Ness_Monster530 / Via reddit.com

21.This 1923 world map with the Arctic labeled "unexplored":

Old map indicating 'Unexplored Arctic Ocean' between 165° and 135° longitude west, with Prince Patrick Island visible on the lower right
u/Superfly724 / Via reddit.com

22.These 1954 requirements for being a flight attendant:

Page detailing qualifications for stewardesses at Chicago and Southern Air Lines. Requirements include specific height, weight, age, and attributes like eyesight and demeanor
u/Siktrikshot / Via reddit.com

23.These cigarettes that airplanes would actually give you while in-flight, before all flights were non-smoking:

Vintage Philip Morris cigarette pack with Braniff International Airways branding, advertising "Over 140 Offices in the U.S.A. and South America."
u/ddfish / Via reddit.com

24.These 1923 pay rates for railroad workers:

Summary of a statement dated December 1, 1923, listing job classifications, number of positions, and rates of pay for employees in the Maintenance of Equipment Department, Southern Railway
u/round-disk / Via reddit.com

25.This gear for a child coal miner:

Black mining helmet beside a bag labeled "Glen Alden-Hudson Anthracite Silver Dollar Week October 1962 $125.00"
u/whyforyoulookmeonso / Via reddit.com

26.This 1932 World Atlas, which labels people's religion in different places, including "heathen" as a category:

A vintage map showing the predominant religions in the Americas, using various color codes for Protestant, Roman Catholic, Orthodox Catholic, Mohammedan, Confucian and Buddhist, Brahman, and Heathen
u/lambchopdestroyer / Via reddit.com

27.This old ad for a "facial" massager:

An advertisement showing various battery-operated facial massagers, including an image of a woman using one. The text highlights features and prices
[deleted] / Via reddit.com

28.This 1933 hospital bill for someone who stayed in the hospital for a week:

Hospital bill summary dated 1/27/33 addressed to Lillian for various medical services totaling $59.00, including room, ward, operating room, and anesthesia charges
u/msyodajenkins1 / Via reddit.com

29.This 1920s ad for using tapeworms for weight loss:

Vintage advertisement showing a woman with grocery items. Text promotes "sanitized tape worms" as a weight-loss method with slogans like "No diet, no baths, no exercise!"
u/jeanclaudvansam / Via reddit.com

30.This 1969 MAD magazine back cover that called Ronald Reagan an "ex-movie star who wanted to be President":

Ron Reagan, standing at a podium with three others, is featured in a political-themed rum advertisement. Text indicates his presidential aspirations
u/Fatmacdaddy / Via reddit.com

31.This old 1920s copy of Hamlet where the owner wrote down the boys she'd gone out with:

Cover of "Hamlet" from the Riverside Literature Series by William Shakespeare, with names written on the inside cover in various handwriting styles
[deleted] / Via reddit.com

32.This tank driver's license:

Cover of a Soviet tank driver's license booklet, featuring an embossed tank illustration under Russian text with a star emblem above
u/Blue_peppercorn / Via reddit.com

33.This 1920 Presidential ballot:

Official Presidential Ballot from 1920 listing candidates Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, James M. Cox, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Eugene V. Debs, Seymour Stedman, P.P. Christensen, and Max S. Hayes
u/Esus9 / Via reddit.com

34.These "survival biscuits" from 1963, with the threat of nuclear war looming:

A metallic tin labeled "Survival Biscuit" is open, showing several stacked crackers inside. The label mentions the product's purpose, date, and manufacturer
u/buckbrow / Via reddit.com

35.This 1963 postcard explaining zip codes from when they were first put into place:

A USPS poster from May 1963 featuring a cartoon character, Mr. Zip, announcing the introduction of the ZIP Code system aimed at improving mail delivery efficiency

36.And finally, this 1933 letter about the "Hitler situation":

A person holds a typewritten letter, shown in multiple images, detailing an account involving a writer named Felix Klavier
u/Emmyber / Via reddit.com